---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 60607"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "60607"
heading: "Pilot program for obtaining commercial sector space weather data"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/60607"
units:
  - "Subtitle VI — Earth Observations"
  - "Chapter 606 — Space Weather"
---

# §60607. Pilot program for obtaining commercial sector space weather data

- (a) **Establishment.—** Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) may establish a pilot program under which the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) will offer to enter into contracts with one or more entities in the commercial space weather sector for the provision to the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of space weather data generated by such an entity that meets the standards and specifications published under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Data Standard and Specifications.—** Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/51/60101.md?p=11) of Defense, may publish standards and specifications for ground-based, ocean-based, air-based, and space-based commercial space weather data and metadata.
- (c) **Contracts.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Within 12 months after the date of transmission of the review of the integrated strategy to Congress under [section 60602(c)(3)](/usc/51/60602.md?p=c-3) and taking into account the results of the review, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) may offer to enter, through an open competition, into at least one contract with one or more commercial space weather sector entities capable of providing space weather data that—
    - (A) meets the standards and specifications established for providing such data under [subsection (b)](#b); and
    - (B) is provided in a manner that allows the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) to calibrate and evaluate the data for use in space weather research and forecasting models of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1), the Department of Defense, or both.
  - (2) **Assessment.—** If one or more contract is entered into under [paragraph (1)](#c-1), not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) shall assess, and submit to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology and Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Armed Services of the Senate, a report on the extent to which the pilot program has demonstrated data provided under contracts described in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) meet the standards and specifications established under [subsection (b)](#b) and the extent to which the pilot program has demonstrated—
    - (A) the viability of assimilating the commercially provided data into National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) space weather research and forecasting models;
    - (B) whether, and by how much, the data so provided add value to space weather forecasts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) and the Department of Defense; and
    - (C) the accuracy, quality, timeliness, validity, reliability, usability, information technology security, and cost-effectiveness of obtaining commercial space weather data from commercial sector providers.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–181, § 2(b), Oct. 21, 2020, 134 Stat. 891.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), and (c)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 116–181, which was approved Oct. 21, 2020.