In the wake of natural disasters, including a devastating hurricane season and catastrophic forest fires, it is more important than ever to invest in the tools necessary to predict, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. The Budget supports investments in high-priority Earth observations that contribute to the nation’s ability to predict the weather and respond to natural disasters. Within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Budget provides $1.8 billion to maintain progress toward satellite missions and research that will improve our understanding of the Earth, including natural hazards. The joint NASA-Indian Space Research Organization Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission will provide unprecedented, detailed views of Earth and will enhance our understanding and response to hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides. The Budget also supports National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research on seasonal to subseasonal atmospheric behavior to improve our ability to understand, predict and communicate information associated with hazardous weather. The Budget also funds the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct research to quantify earthquake likelihoods and to develop a nationwide capability to release aftershock advisories during major earthquake sequences. The Budget also continues to support space weather-related R&D, since space weather can affect not just the nation’s satellites and space explorers, but can potentially cause significant damage to our electrical grid and electronic systems.
FY 2019 President's Budget Request