Solar and Space Physics for the Nation: An Overview of the 2024–2033 Decadal Survey (2025)
Chapter: Investing in the Future
Investing in the Future
Solar and space physics underpin technologies that drive the global economy and ensure national security—ranging from satellite communications and GPS navigation to power grid stability and military operations. With adequate support, the coming decade holds the promise of transformative discoveries in solar and space physics—unraveling the mysteries of the local cosmos and enhancing the ability to forecast and mitigate the impacts of space weather on the technological systems essential to modern society.
To achieve this vision, the decadal survey outlines a comprehensive research strategy that calls for increased budgets aligned with the scope and ambition of its scientific and operational goals. Robust investment from NASA, NOAA, NSF, and the Department of Defense—coupled with sustained international collaboration and targeted efforts to strengthen and unify the workforce—will empower the field to address fundamental scientific questions and deliver critical space weather capabilities.
As society becomes increasingly reliant on space-based infrastructure and more vulnerable ground-based systems, and as human space exploration extends beyond low-Earth orbit, the importance of space weather research grows. Continued investment in missions, research, and workforce development is essential to advance solar and space physics, safeguard national assets, and deepen our understanding of the dynamic space environment that surrounds Earth.
“The next decade could become a golden age of discovery and understanding of our local cosmos and humanity’s place in it.”
