Hurricane experts are losing 3 key satellites this Season.

Pentagon will no longer share satellite data that tracks hurricanes overnight here is why, spoiler alert it is not political as reported by the press.

On June 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued a service change notice announcing that the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP, and the Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center would terminate data collection, processing and distribution of all DMSP data no later than June 30. The data termination was postponed until July 31 following a request from the head of NASA’s Earth Science Division.

As of July 28, 2025, several weather satellites are being removed or have recently been removed from operational service:

Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES)

• NOAA-18: This satellite was decommissioned on June 6, 2025, after its S-band transmitter experienced a power drop, making it unsafe to operate, according to the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).
• NOAA-15 and NOAA-19: Data from these satellites was suspended for operational use by NOAA on June 16, 2025. NOAA-15 has also experienced sensor failure, although the spacecraft remains healthy. These satellites are now considered "data of opportunity," meaning NOAA no longer manages them as operational products. 

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)

• Three DMSP Satellites: The Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center is set to end the processing and dissemination of data from these satellites by July 31, 2025. This decision is due to the program no longer meeting the Navy's information technology modernization requirements and reported cybersecurity risks, according to MeriTalk. The satellites were initially slated for decommissioning in September 2026, but the process was accelerated. Although the data will no longer be available to the public, the Department of Defense will continue to use them, according to NPR. 

Reasons for removal

These satellites are being removed for a combination of factors:

• Cybersecurity Risks: The DMSP satellites were deemed to pose a "significant cybersecurity risk".
• Outdated Technology: The DMSP program no longer meets the Navy's information technology modernization requirements.
• Exceeding Lifespan: The DMSP satellites have been operating for over 15 years, well past their intended five-year lifespan.
• System Failures: NOAA-18 experienced a critical S-band transmitter failure.
• Transition to Newer Systems: NOAA is transitioning to the newer Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) for global observations and severe weather forecasting. 

These changes will impact weather forecasting, particularly for hurricanes and severe weather, according to several news sources, including Space.com. While the older satellites will no longer be used for official operational purposes, some will continue to transmit data that can be received by amateur radio enthusiasts. However, hobbyists are advised that this data will be considered "data of opportunity," with no guarantees of reliability or longevity.