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Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

theguardian.com

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Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#91

Post by throw0101c »

Animats wrote: post #5

It's part of the Administration's war on ... Florida?

> It's part of the Administration's war on ... Florida?

The administration of Florida has a war on the idea of climate change:

* "Ron DeSantis signs bill scrubbing ‘climate change’ from Florida state laws": https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/16/desa...

* "Florida Officials Barred from Referencing “Climate Change”: https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/florida-officials-b...

This allows (certain) Florida politicians to put their head in the sand even more than they already have.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#92

Post by Larrikin »

schiffern wrote: post #33
lynndotpy wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your premise that they're "lying" is unsubstantiated. Your comments read only like dress around the "fake news" bit.

Before you claim there's nothing happening and The Guardian didn't mean it, check social media comments elsewhere to see how many people misinterpret this news item into "DOGE/Elon did it." I would bet you, but that money's too easy. :) Again, this exact conversation is the genius behind 'lying _without lying_ .' You can always claim in high-literacy communities like HN that no, nobody would ever be silly enough misr…

>check social media comments elsewhere to see how many people misinterpret this news item into "DOGE/Elon did it."

No, post news sources and researched articles. Your vibes about the Internet are irrelevant

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#93

Post by [deleted] »

Frost1x wrote: post #48
8bitsrule wrote: post #40

Is loss of automobiles and reverting to horses next?

We can all become Amish while Bezos, Trump, etc. fly around in their privately owned 747s. Perfect society for our capital and power ownership class… that is until the hounds are at the door threatening the security of their capital or the economy downturn makes it far enough their wealth and power won’t buy the level of opulence they expect on the daily. Difficult to fly around if no one’s producing runways and jet…

[deleted]

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#94

Post by MikeTheGreat »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #2

“Researchers say the satellites themselves are operating normally and do not appear to have suffered any errors that would physically prevent the data from continuing to be collected and distributed, so the abrupt data halt might have been an intentional decision.” Wait, the U.S. aren’t even going to try selling the satellites? We’re just scrapping them?

It feels like the title here isn't accurate - we haven't lost the satellite at all. It wasn't destroyed, it wasn't de-orbited (on purpose or accidentally), it wasn't hacked or hijacked.

Can we ask dang to change the title to something like "Blocking of key US satellite data could...."?

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#95

Post by pstuart »

KerrAvon wrote: post #90
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> could probably imagine that ACB is just very stupid I guess? She's made choices which only make sense if they're out of blind loyalty to the man who gave her a job Barrett has sided with the liberals on various decisions. SCOTUS has a problem. But its problem isn't blind loyalty to Trump. It's that there is a deeper conviction about the way the world should work that sometimes aligns with Trump in ways that are dee…

SCOTUS is essentially blindly local to Trump — pay attention to the latest Constitution-shredding decisions; they sure wouldn’t be doing those under a Dem president, and they’re twisting themselves in knots trying to make the illogical logical — it just manifests differently at their level.

This is clear to all except partisans who put loyalty to their party over their country.

It's not like we're asking for SCOTUS to accept constitutional slights from the left side of the aisle, its about consistency of reasoning regardless of which party is involved.

As you've noted, the conservatives of SCOTUS are working backwards from their desired goals rather than pursuing justice for all.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#96

Post by cyanydeez »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #62
counters wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The companies I'm referring to are (generally) not publicly traded, so it's not quite that simple. Is it possible that some sort of backroom shenanigans are going on here? Yeah, absolutely, especially as several knowledgable folks speaking publicly about this episode are pointing their fingers at opaque procedure within Space Force. But Hanlon's razor ought to apply until shown otherwise.

> companies I'm referring to are (generally) not publicly traded Stock doesn't have to be publicly traded to be traded.

Trump uses hanlons razor to improve his grift outcomes.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#97

Post by counters »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #62
counters wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The companies I'm referring to are (generally) not publicly traded, so it's not quite that simple. Is it possible that some sort of backroom shenanigans are going on here? Yeah, absolutely, especially as several knowledgable folks speaking publicly about this episode are pointing their fingers at opaque procedure within Space Force. But Hanlon's razor ought to apply until shown otherwise.

> companies I'm referring to are (generally) not publicly traded Stock doesn't have to be publicly traded to be traded.

You're right, but I would stress that this is an over-simplification of the entangled financial interests that _might_ be at play - and there simply isn't any evidence that has been presented pointing in that direction.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#98

Post by IAmGraydon »

ars wrote: post #71
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #2

“Researchers say the satellites themselves are operating normally and do not appear to have suffered any errors that would physically prevent the data from continuing to be collected and distributed, so the abrupt data halt might have been an intentional decision.” Wait, the U.S. aren’t even going to try selling the satellites? We’re just scrapping them?

This story is NOT TRUE. There is one operating satellite in this constellation, and congress voted to shut down the program in 2015. The DMSP program was discontinued in 2015 by a vote in congress[1]. Virtually every working stallelite in this program has failed. As best as I can tell there's just a single working one specifically NOAA-19[2]. Instead the program has switched to JPSS[3] which is part of GEOSS[4]. [1]…

While you're correct that Congress voted to phase out the program, you're wrong on a number of levels. First, NOAA-19 is not a DMSP satellite. Second, many of the DMSP satellites are still in orbit and functioning - even the very Wikipedia article you linked to shows this. There was no legitimate reason to cut off their data that we've been given. Third, JPSS and GEOS lack some of the capabilities of the DMSP, for example the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder that was still providing highly valuable real-time microwave data, including precipitation rates, sea surface wind speeds, sea ice coverage, water vapor levels and cloud properties.

So to be frank, the only thing that's "NOT TRUE" is nearly all of your post.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#99

Post by counters »

mschuster91 wrote: post #65
counters wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The companies I'm referring to are (generally) not publicly traded, so it's not quite that simple. Is it possible that some sort of backroom shenanigans are going on here? Yeah, absolutely, especially as several knowledgable folks speaking publicly about this episode are pointing their fingers at opaque procedure within Space Force. But Hanlon's razor ought to apply until shown otherwise.

> But Hanlon's razor ought to apply until shown otherwise I'm no longer willing to grant this administration this privilege. The last few months were an utter clownshow of corruption.

It just isn't helpful to assume malice. Even for the most ardent, ideological Heartland Institute or Heritage Foundation conservative, there is still a path forward in discussing unintended consequences. Just look at the post-Liberation Day rollback of blanket tariffs. At some point, the consequences of actions are felt. Systems respond even when the firmest hand tries to steady them.

At some point you take your hand off the burning stove, even if it means amputating your arm. Some folks should prepare for that contingency while those of us who can still stomach it pursue reason.

Re: Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'

#100

Post by counters »

deadbabe wrote: post #64
counters wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Hurricane risk has been grossly exaggerated for years Year-over-year, economic impacts and disruptions due to tropical cyclones are dramatically rising. Most of this is an exposure issue. But long-tail events - like Andrew's utter devastation of Homestead in 1992 or Katrina's unique confluence of storm surge in urban/suburban parishes in LA - can and do happen. One day, there will be another Galveston or Homestead.

There won’t be another Andrew because the building codes were changed so that all new construction must withstand category 5 storm force, which when Andrew came around was not a requirement. Over time, there is a natural selection that occurs where destroyed buildings are replaced with stronger buildings with stricter codes.

> There won’t be another Andrew because the building codes were changed so that all new construction must withstand category 5 storm force

I sincerely hope you're right, but there is plenty of evidence suggesting that this will not be the case, owing to a multitude of factors:

- not all housing stock is - the climates around the Gulf, which tend to be more humid, can lead to premature degradation of things like strengthened anchor bolts and roof attachments

- there continue to be immense factors related to cost and time-to-build which provide significant negative pressure towards cutting corners and minimum-compliance which may mitigate some of the attendant benefits of strengthened building codes

An event like Andrew _is the selection event_ that you're referring to.

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