1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

The loss of microwave satellite data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) is a serious and urgent issue—especially with hurricane season ramping up. This isn’t just a weather problem; it’s a national security and public safety issue that affects millions of Americans, our coastal infrastructure, and critical economic sectors like agriculture, energy, and shipping. For decades, this Department of Defense data has quietly played a key role in hurricane forecasting. It provides unique, high-resolution views that help forecasters detect sudden storm intensification—something radar and infrared can't do as effectively, especially at night. Losing this data puts us at a greater risk of being caught off-guard by rapidly strengthening storms, much like what happened with Hurricane Otis in 2023. We can’t afford a repeat of that kind of surprise—especially not during the peak of hurricane season. It’s also a matter of fiscal responsibility. Accurate forecasts save money—by preventing unnecessary evacuations, protecting supply chains, and reducing the cost of disaster response. Without this data, forecasts become less precise, risks go up, and the potential damage—to lives and to our economy—multiplies. At a time when our adversaries are investing heavily in their space and weather monitoring capabilities, we cannot allow gaps in our own. Restoring the flow of DMSP microwave data isn’t a luxury—it’s a smart investment in resilience, preparedness, and national strength. This is a commonsense step we can take right now to protect Americans and ensure our forecasting infrastructure remains world-class.