Service Message from NOAA/SEC

From NOAA Space Environment Center, Space Weather Office
The Center issued the following service message at 21:23 12/31/03

In early October I wrote to apprise you of the dire situation the
Nation's civilian space weather service was facing. With your help,
as the old year turns into the new, the current situation is rather
brighter than three months ago; it now appears that Space Environment
Center (SEC) will be able to carry on in Fiscal Year 2004 at about
the same level of activity as in FY2003, and we have garnered a good
deal of support and appreciation in Washington. Nonetheless, we do
not yet have an appropriation, so the exact level is uncertain and
will remain so for about a month. More details are provided below.

All of us at SEC are deeply grateful for the strong and multitudinous
advocacy that you directed to decision makers about the importance of
space weather services and research and NOAA's roles. Your calls and
letters changed minds and helped set up the Congressional hearing in
October on "Space Weather and Who Should Forecast It?" Thank you for
your vigorous and effective support of SEC.