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The Government Accountability Office says our weather satellites are in desperate need of upgrades, but the process to rearm the US to ready for environmental alerts is being mismanaged.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is readying a new satellite system at the cost of approximately $7 billion to replace old, and outdated technology. But, “Independent studies show that the estimated program could cost about $2 billion more, and the first satellite launch could be delayed by 2 years. As NOAA works to reconcile the independent estimate with its own program office estimate, costs are likely to grow and schedules are likely to be delayed,” GAO says. “The program has multiple risk watchlists that are not always consistent and key risks are missing from the watchlists.”

I shouldn’t have to point out the importance of having accurate weather tracking and predictability systems. Indeed, even the aviation industry is being hampered by inadequate satellite tracking systems.

Last year, the Naples Daily News reported that QuikSCAT, a satellite used to track and forecast hurricanes is also aging and deteriorating. That satellite — launched by NASA in 1999 — had a life expectancy of three years but has been operating for eight years. There are currently no plans to launch a replacement in the future.

With climate change and weather-related catastrophe in the headlines nearly everyday you’d think the first step would be better defense systems.

Then again, this Administration doesn’t seem to think.

May 9th, 2008 by Thomas Kostigen in politics, weather | 2 comments | RSS feed | Trackback >