John Hickenlooper

Sen. Angus King (I) has joined Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in urging the federal government to maintain access to weather data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which is nearing the end of its life.

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Dr. Neil Jacobs, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the senators emphasized the importance of reliable satellite weather data for “public safety, national security, and economic survival.”

The DMSP is a Department of Defense (DoD) program that has provided environmental information to the military since the mid-1960s.

The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, manages this program, while NOAA operates the satellites from the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland.

Last summer, it was announced that despite initial plans to end parts of the program, the satellites would continue sharing weather data with meteorologists for the time being.

“After feedback from government partners, officials found a way to meet modernization goals while keeping the data flowing until the sensor fails or the program formally ends in September 2026,” officials said in July 2025.

The DMSP has now been extended beyond this date and is set to remain fully operational through 2028 or later as preparations are being made to transition to replacement satellites.

In their letter, the senators ask the federal government to clarify its plan to maintain continuity in data provision as the equipment reaches the end of its life.

They are also seeking clarification on how the transition away from the DMSP will be managed, funded and coordinated.

“For decades, DMSP’s Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) has supported hurricane forecasting, severe-weather monitoring, polar and sea-ice analysis, and military operations in data-sparse and denied environments,” the senators said. “That coverage is now shrinking as legacy polar-orbiting microwave sensors age out.”

“To improve and prevent degradation of numerical weather prediction and tactical forecasting, the DoD and NOAA should evaluate the transition across the broader space architecture, including commercial satellite systems that can complement government capabilities,” they continued.

“Weather data continuity is essential to national security, public safety, and economic resilience,” the senators concluded. “Extending DMSP is a promising step, and we urge the DoD and NOAA to proactively identify and fill anticipated gaps before legacy degradation or replacement delays create preventable risks.”

Click Here to Read the Senators’ Full Letter

Libby Palanza is a reporter for the Maine Wire, frequently covering legislative, legal, and local stories. She can be reached at [email protected].

KIng should be judged by the company he keeps. I think maine got an uneven share of asskoles named KING.

All part of keeping everybody scared to death about climate change . Thanks Angus for your tireless work to keep Maine green and broken . How many “ senior citizen approved “ bath mats have you sold ? You and your democrat pals will destroy Maine long before the climate ever will . You really ARE a grifter aren’t you !

King Anus pull your head out of John Kerry’s ass now then you’ll be able to breathe and see the truth. There is no climate crisis or climate change.

The only climate crisis/change is your an idiot thinking there is such a thing.

Oh dam it the sun is shining today it’s climate change because it was cloudy yesterday, raining the other day. It’s called a change in the weather!

What a dope, he serves on the intelligence committee!!!

@ Delia, there is no climate change man can control. What they can do is control you. Example how many people who claim climate change is real have changed their lifestyle, no private jet, no ocean side homes, etc. Do you actually think Maine can affect the weather anywhere? Wear any clothing not made with oil, etc. Only the gullible believe in “Climate change”, first we were going to freeze to death, then it was global warming which morhed into the catchall climate change. A lot of people sure have gotten wealthy from the scam.

The result of King and others spending our valuable tax dollars on illegals. They did not plan ahead.

NOAA needs to stay out of the political propaganda business.

When is Senator King going to caucus with the Republicans?…. Just like how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop. The world may never know.

Why don’t you send your little letter to Elon Musk ? He could probably do it three times faster and at one quarter the cost . Or …….Are YOU still pissed that he bought Twitter and let Trump back on ? I BET you are .

Funny he is so concerned over this, but several yrs ago, republicans at the state house wanted a bill passed that would restrict any overhead airiel spraying. He along with all other democrats quashed the bill.

“Weather data continuity is essential to national security, public safety, and economic resilience”. OUTSTANDING contribution Sen. King. 💤

It is smart for Senator King to advocate the continued collection of weather and climate information through federal programs. Trump wants to deny climate change and seems to think if we don’t measure climate and weather impacts it will be easier to deny climate change. It’s the ostrich head in the sand approach. What you don’t know won’t hurt you. Wrong..

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