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The US Government Now Has A Plan To Deal With Space Weather

The U.S. government recently published a plan to protect us against destructive space weather that could damage billions of dollars of equipment.

The US Government Now Has A Plan To Deal With Space Weather
Getty Images / NASA
By Katie Link
SMS
November 3, 2015

If you're worried about space weather destroying life as we know it here on Earth, you can relax. The U.S. government has a plan. (Video via NASA)

Space weather refers to variations that occur in the area between the sun and the Earth. Think solar flares and solar energetic particles. Or, to put it more simply, think explosions of high-energy radiation from the sun.

A massive electromagnetic pulse from solar flares could destroy power grids and cost billions of dollars. That's why the White House is working on protection efforts.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy recently released an action plan and strategy that outline how the country will prepare for the worst.

Here's the gist. The government will work with various entities to release new space environment data and launch a space weather data initiative. It will also work to train emergency management on space weather events, increase international collaboration and publish more information about space weather in transportation reports.

Sounds expensive, but the office ensures us that this action plan "broadly aligns" with the proposal in the president's budget for 2016.

This video includes images from Getty Images.