‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration ‘Headquarters 2 Washington, DC 20546-0001 ‘February 17, 2004 ye zi Professor Robert J. Charlson. Department of Atmospheric Sciences Uniiversity of Washington Seattie, Washington 98195-1640 “Dede Professor Charlsonr “Thank you for your letter of Jaimary 28,2004, expiessing your sincere interest in the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission, Indeed, your points on the value of developing an ‘improved observational basis for quantitatively characterizing the climate forcing of aerosols are weil taken. It is widely recognized that the science offered | by DSCOVR would help make possible an ‘integrated self-consistent global database for stadying the extent of régional and global change. ‘Bue to Space Shuttlo manifesting constraints recently diested by the President the DSCOVR mission $Seurrenlly without a specifi Inunch opportmity. Presently, the DSCOVR spacecraft remains safely instorage at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center awaiting future identification of a'suitable launch, ‘NASA is continuing to explore options to launch this Spacecraft as soon as possible. share your view of the high priority that needs to be placed on accurate quantification of-climate forcing due to acrosols and that, in its unique vantage point at the L1 orbit, DSCOVR would. play a ‘Valuable role toward our understanding of those acrosol effects. Until anew: flight opportunity for DSCOVR is identified, NASA will continue to encourage its scientists, led by Ds. Francisco P. J. Valero at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, to collaborate on this ‘exciting mission via the DSCOVR Science Team. ‘Thank you for your interest in this important NASA mission. 3 ial, L.. ‘Asrar Associate Administrator for » Earth Science mt ‘A/Mr. O’Keefe , : ath t AAIMr. Schumacher ae a ‘YéMr, Luther = YF/Mr. MeCuistion YF/Mr. Hooker