Return to Space Weather Week Home Page
Go to top Space Weather Week 1999 Page

Consideration of a Space Weather Industry Association

Companies, individuals, and agencies that desire to grow a profitable Space Weather Industry should be encouraged to participate.

Reason

A common forum is needed that:

Promotes the establishment of a free market based space weather industry.
Can advocate the services and timing for which a commercial provider assumes responsibility
Stays abreast of the needs of the space weather industry and the market place opportunities (and tell its members!).
Can work with government agencies to determine how/ when / and what kind of assistance is made available to help establish the industry - Without nurturing undue reliance.

Criteria for evaluation

Does the association do a credible job of helping the Space Weather service community grow and succeed financially.

Many details will need to be worked out. We still need to determine: How to carry his out, How to support (i.e. fund) this effort, and How to establish the association as a non-competing entity.

Specific Needs of the Space Weather Industry

A National / International advocate of Space Weather Free Enterprise to Highlight potential markets of space weather services.
A system that connects potential customers with potential vendors without competing economically with the space weather service sector at large.
An agent for understanding market potential & participation that crosses company & cultural lines and disciplines. - For individuals and organizations
To Collectively identify tools that can serve the space weather community at large. These will likely include: software, data bases, web based assets, sensors (surface and space based), standardized algorithms, etc. .

Our industry does NOT need:

A new layer of bureaucratic administration in which to be mired in detail.
An "also ran" professional association.