US Court Halts Closure of Atmospheric Research Center

A US federal court has temporarily blocked the Donald Trump administration's attempt to strip the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) of control over its supercomputer complex. This decision marks a significant victory for one of the world's most prestigious institutions for climate and weather research. The dispute began last December when the government unexpectedly announced plans to dissolve NCAR's management structure and transfer the Wyoming supercomputer center to another operator. Ixbt.com reports .

Judge Brooke Jackson, who reviewed the case, concluded that the National Science Foundation (NSF) had made a final decision to transfer the center before the public comment period had ended. According to court documents, agency representatives informed the managing organization of the decision as early as February, even though the feedback collection process was still ongoing. The court specifically noted that government agencies failed to provide a credible explanation for transferring the supercomputer center to another operator.

The court ruling characterized the agency's actions as "arbitrary and capricious," potentially violating the Administrative Procedure Act governing federal agencies. UCAR, the organization managing NCAR, convinced the court that uncertainty about the future is causing rare technical experts to leave, inflicting real harm on the institution. Consequently, the court prohibited the forced transfer of the supercomputer complex until the case is fully reviewed.

Nevertheless, not all risks for NCAR have been eliminated. Case documents mention plans to split up the center, transfer certain scientific programs to other organizations, and even sell the headquarters in Colorado. Notably, in December 2025, the Donald Trump administration expressed intent to reorganize the center, accusing it of spreading "alarmist forecasts" about climate change. The scientific community views these actions as an attempt to undermine US climate research capabilities.