Space Weather Forecast Center Faces Stormy Future. An interesting read, while the U.S. government probably should not be the funder of this program I think there is a real need for the center. The yearly budget of $8.3 million may seem huge, but the cost of a single GPS sattelite is $42 million. If the center saved two satellites in 10 years (for 11 years is the period of solar activity cycles) it would pay for itsself without a problem. Thinking about the sheer number of satellites in orbit due to our ever increasing dependence on them, and the effects solar flares alone can have on our power grid which doens't seem to be in for a major overhaul anytime soon despite the need (as illustrated by this summer). Considering the center in question monitors other space weather features besides the sun, it is a very valuable entity. Actually NOAA itself is extremely important and its information is used by the whole world, possibly it may be time to realize that weather forcasting of all types really needs to have not only greater funding but funding from the private sector that benefits tremendously by its services.