Celebrating accomplishments and anniversaries of space weather observations and forecasting

The space weather monitoring satellite, Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) is on final approach to its observing position 1.5 × 109 m upstream from Earth. There it will become a deep-space resource for space weather forecasters, providing a "heads up" on weather imposed by our star, the Sun. With DSCOVR, the U.S. has made a substantial investment in ensuring early warning capabilities for solar-driven disturbances and hazards. This is a long-needed investment consistent with numerous community decadal reports and national needs assessments. It seems appropriate to think of DSCOVR as a "50th anniversary gift"--for 50 years, what is now the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center has been providing routine daily space weather forecasts. A soon-to-be operational solar wind monitor and multiple anniversaries for space weather deserve a celebratory editorial and a brief history lesson.