US Weather Satellites Face Decade Setback

Budget cuts to the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) program for new weather satellites could result in a decade-long setback for US forecasting capabilities. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that reductions in lifecycle costs from $19.6 billion to $13 billion introduce a risk of a gap in satellite coverage.

These cuts mean the new GeoXO satellites will carry fewer instruments than current models, including the elimination of a lightning mapper and an air quality monitor. Experts warn this diminishes the US's ability to observe, forecast, and research extreme weather, potentially causing the nation to lag behind Europe, Japan, and China in advancing forecast accuracy.

The program was directed to reduce the number of satellites from six to four and eliminate three of five planned instruments. Originally intended to cover different US regions, the new constellation will only have satellites over the East and West, with a backup. The GAO questions whether the new satellites will even maintain current functionality.