PECASUS Global Space Weather Center for aviation started its 24/7 operations today 7-Nov, 2019 at noon UTC. PECASUS led by FMI comprises ICAO member states Finland, Belgium, UK, Austria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Cyprus, South Africa.
The ICAO space weather service is implemented by joint operation of three global SWX centers (PECASUS. SWPC, ACFJ), with each center providing the service for 2 weeks in turn. One center is always on duty while the two other centers are providing back-up service. The ICAO space weather service was started by PECASUS to be followed by NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) and thereafter by the consortium of Australia, Canada, France and Japan (ACFJ).
The ICAO space weather service starts at the time of solar activity minimum and hence calm space weather conditions prevail. Intensive solar storms may still take place during the years of solar activity minimum, so the SWX centers are on alert all the time. During the next few years the solar activity is expected to increase substantially with the approaching sunspot maximum.
Website: http://pecasus.org
