Congress Asks NOAA to Consider Charging for Data

"Congress is questioning the wisdom of giving everyone a free ride [open data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)]. Faced with soaring NOAA satellite costs and a bleak budget outlook, lawmakers last month ordered the agency to explore ways of charging other federal agencies —and perhaps even some large consortiums of academic scientists that partner with government agencies—for its “specialized data products.” It's time, they argue, for beneficiaries to help NOAA sustain a cash-strapped satellite program. A storm is brewing over the suggestion....For some researchers, the issue is creating a worrying sense of déjà vu. In the 1980s, government officials decided to charge for imagery collected by Landsat satellites in an attempt to defray the satellites' costs. The result, Moore says, is that the number of users plummeted and “the data ended up in a Landsat mortuary.” ..."