Exercises

2026 Bulk Electric System Testbed Exercise

Space Weather Prediction Testbed 2026
Bulk Electric System Exercise

Two 2.5-Day Participation Options - August 18-20 or August 25-27, 2026

The 2026 Space Weather Prediction Testbed Bulk Electric System (BES) Exercise will evaluate prototype decision-support services designed to improve how geomagnetic storm risk is communicated and applied in BES real-time operations. Through an operator-in-the-loop simulation, the exercise will assess whether modernized products provide actionable, user-driven, and risk-based information for preparedness, response, recovery, and all-clear decisions under operational uncertainty. The exercise will also examine how emerging scientific models, probabilistic forecasting techniques, and prototype applications can improve operational decision-making. Participant feedback will directly inform the development of next-generation space weather services that are aligned with real-world operational workflows.

What this is

A displaced-real-time, operator-in-the-loop exercise simulating an impactful geomagnetic storm affecting the Bulk Electric System (BES) in the U.S. and Canada.
An evaluation of prototype SWPC decision-support services: revised geomagnetic storm communications and regionalized risk forecasts.
A test of whether modernized space weather services are understood without explanation and if they improve decision-making under time pressure.

Why it matters for grid operations

Operators need actionable information that fits real-time workflows for preparedness and response.
Industry feedback points to limitations in how geomagnetic-storm severity is communicated today, especially for extreme events and regional impacts.

What you get

A preview of prototype, BES-focused SWPC services, including interactive visualizations intended to support preparation, response, and recovery decisions.
A direct path to improve the tools you already use: input on timeliness, spatial specificity, product formats, and confidence cues so products integrate with common BES workflows.
Influence on next-generation services: actionable, user-driven, risk-based decision support rather than index-only reporting.

Who should participate

U.S. and Canadian Reliability Coordinators, Transmission Operators, Transmission Planners, Balancing Authorities, and GMD program leads.
Real-time operations leadership and analysts supporting storm response (situational awareness, operational planning, communications).
Partners with relevant measurements (e.g., geomagnetic field, GIC observations) where data-sharing constraints allow.
Researchers and developers whose ongoing work aligns with the exercise objectives outlined below.

What we will ask you to do

Work through a real-time simulation of a geomagnetic disturbance focusing on key decision points using the prototype space weather services.
Provide feedback on actionability: timing, clarity, and regional specificity.
Optionally share decision triggers and information needs to improve future services.
Share perspectives on how forecasting methods and scientific approaches could evolve to better address end-user operational needs and inform future research directions.

When and Where

Offered in two identical sessions:
- Session 1: August 18–20, 2026
- Session 2: August 25–27, 2026
  (Each session runs 2.5 days)
Hosted in person by the Space Weather Prediction Testbed at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, CO

Exercise Objectives

Storm Onset Timing
Improve communication of geomagnetic storm onset using ensemble forecasting techniques with confidence intervals, including how forecast timing and confidence are updated as the storm approaches to better support user needs.
Probabilistic Intensity Forecasting
Provide probabilistic forecasts of geomagnetic storm intensity.
Regional Hazard and Risk Guidance
Provide regional geoelectric field hazard information and associated operational risk guidance, including the likelihood of exceeding user-driven impact thresholds at spatial scales relevant to user needs.
Unbounded Storm Intensity Scaling
Explore options for moving from bounded Kp scaling to unbounded indices such as Hp for extreme-event characterization.
Storm Duration Forecasting
Forecast storm duration and evolving conditions, including whether impacts are expected from a single event or multiple sequential CME arrivals.
Storm Lifecycle Characterization
Characterize key phases of the geomagnetic storm lifecycle as they relate to Geomagnetic Disturbance (GMD) hazards, including shock arrival, storm main phase, substorm activity.
Storm Termination / All-Clear Guidance
Develop formal all-clear guidance informed by user feedback and operational needs identified during the exercise.
Space Weather Product Integration into BES Tools
Improve integration of space weather forecasts and geoelectric field estimates into BES operational and planning models.

How to get involved

This exercise is by invitation.
To express interest, please coordinate through the Space Weather Prediction Testbed Lead Hazel.Bain@noaa.gov

Testbed Exercise 2026 - Bulk Electric System

2025 GNSS User Engagement

A GNSS User Engagement will be hosted by NOAA SWPC between 9 am and 12:30 pm on May 21st, 2025. Virtual or in-person participation is welcome. More details will be provided here. Please contact Tzu-Wei Fang (tzu-wei.fang@noaa.gov) if you have any questions.

During the GNSS User Engagement session, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) will:

Provide information on space weather impacts on GNSS Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)
Present the latest ionospheric products and developments
Discuss strategies for integrating these products into GNSS solutions to mitigate space weather-related risks

This session will serve as a platform to exchange valuable insights and forge partnerships aimed at strengthening the entire PNT ecosystem against space weather challenges. Your expertise and leadership in the GNSS sector are invaluable, and we would be honored by your participation. We encourage you to join us in person if possible, and we would greatly appreciate a short (10-minute) presentation on:

Real-world scenarios in which space weather events have disrupted the accuracy, reliability, or continuity of GNSS-based systems
Future ionospheric products or enhancements that would be beneficial to your operations

Agenda

0900 - 0905 Introduction – Tzu-Wei Fang (NOAA/SWPC)

0905 - 0915 Ionosphere 101 including WAM-IPE – Tim Fuller-Rowell (NOAA/SWPC)

0915 - 0930 Global Real-Time TEC Product from NOAA SWPC – Dominic Fuller-Rowell (NOAA/SWPC)

0930 - 0945 Future Scintillation Product – Tibor Durgonics (NOAA/SWPC)

0945 - 1000 May 2024 Storm Impact on GNSS on the Ground and in Space – Jade Morton (CU Boulder)

1000 - 1015 Space Weather Impact on the Wide Area Augmentation System – Bill Wanner (WAAS)

1015 - 1030 Space Weather Events Impacts on Tropical Precision Agriculture – Edmundo Beinecke (John Deere)

1030 - 1045 Impact of ionospheric activity on (Septentrio) GNSS receivers – Yasmine Hunter (Septentrio)

1045 - 1100 Regional fits of Klobuchar coefficients to TEC maps: a pragmatic approach to improve smartphone positioning error – Sean Gorman (Zephr)

1100 - 1115 EarthScope GNSS and Space Weather – David Mencin (EarthScope)

1115 - 1130 Space Weather Impacts on Agricultural Uses of GNSS: Estimation of Losses due to Signal Degradation and Valuation of Duration Forecast – Terry Griffin (Kansas State University)

1130 - 1230 Open discussion

2025 Artemis-II Human Spaceflight Support Exercise Information

Overview

The Space Weather Prediction Testbed (SWPT) is pleased to announce an upcoming Space Weather Testbed Exercise in support of Human Space Exploration and the Artemis-II Mission. The exercise aims to strengthen collaboration among the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), NASA’s Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) and Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office (M2M), the Department of Defense (DoD), commercial industry experts, and the academic research community. Together we will work to enhance preparedness for human space flight endeavors.

While the exercise will primarily focus on supporting the Artemis II Mission, it will also provide critical insights and advancements for broader human space flight missions. Participants will be able to explore and evaluate new space weather products and applications, contributing to the research-to-operations-to-research (R2O2R) transition process.

The exercise will focus on three major objectives:

(1) an evaluation of the University of Málaga Solar Particle Event Predictor (UMASEP) model for real-time solar energetic particle (SEP) forecasting in support of SWPC’s proton Warning and Alert products.

(2) a demonstration of new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) space weather products including: an automated flare location product from the GOES Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI); heavy ion measurements from the GOES Energetic Heavy Ion Sensor (EHIS); and alpha particle observations from the GOES Solar and Galactic Proton Sensor (SGPS).

(3) the simulation of a solar radiation storm to exercise the roles of NOAA SWPC forecasters, NASA Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) console operators, and NASA Moon-to-Mars (M2M) analysts during the upcoming Artemis II Mission.

During the exercise, small groups of participants will collaboratively work through a simulated radiation storm scenario and evaluate space weather products. Each group will consist of a SWPC forecaster, a SRAG console operator, and a M2M analyst, alongside a mix of researchers and developers from academia, industry, and DoD who are developing relevant models and applications and/or involved with human space flight related operations.

The exercise will be conducted as follows

Duration: Each exercise will span 2.5 days
Dates: The exercise will be repeated over consecutive weeks to maximize engagement:
- Week 1: April 29th to May 1st, 2025
- Week 2: May 6th to May 8th, 2025
Format: The exercises will be conducted in person.
Location: Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado.

Agenda

Specific goals we want from the exercise:

Building new and strengthening existing relationships with our core partners (SRAG, M2M, CCMC, DoD, research/academia, commercial industry, etc.) to achieve a common understanding of operational needs and capabilities that can be provided by research and development
Determine the ability to improve forecast timeliness and confidence of SEP event threshold crossing via evaluation of the UMASEP model, a new SUVI flare location product, GOES EHIS heavy ion and SGPS Alpha particle data, and other new capabilities that we want to transfer to operations and release to users
Obtain a clearer understanding of how SWPC, SRAG, M2M and the DoD (ex. - 45th Weather Squadron) work together during Artemis-II mission support, and the role of the SWPC forecaster when embedded with SRAG
Test SWPC internal practices and how SWPC can improve coordination with space environment partners to better understand their threshold requirements, and identify mechanisms to support those requirements
Showcase the ability to perform displaced real-time Space Weather Prediction Testbed exercises to improve the R2O2R process

How we plan to achieve those goals:

In-person interagency participation at each forecast desk within the Space Weather Prediction Testbed to foster communication and understanding amongst participants, including blending operations and research to foster O2R feedback
Displaced real-time demonstration of UMASEP and other capabilities using a number of diverse space weather events
Simple centralized location to gather anonymous feedback continuously (via web portal)
In-depth daily debriefs on product performance and decision making processes
Presentations from participating partners and researchers

A glossary of terms that we will be using during the exercise can be found here.

Local information (hotels, restaurants, things to do): https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/

Hotel Information:
- Week 1: There is a block of rooms available at the Fairfield Inn & Suites. Register using the following link. The block of rooms is available to register until April 14th, but there should still be some availability after that if needed.
- Week 2: There is a block of rooms available at the Hampton Inn & Suites. Register using the following link. The block of rooms is available to register until April 11th. NOTE: May 8th is University of Colorado’s commencement, so hotel availability is limited. We recommend booking sooner than later.