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The next solar superstorm could wipe out 'all our satellites,' new simulations reveal (www.livescience.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by cm0002@lemmings.world to c/space@mander.xyz

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[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Might it be wise to build some rad-hardened GPS satellites to have on standby?

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

And third, the CME, which caused the upper atmosphere to swell outward as it soaked up the solar storm's energy.

The atmospheric swelling is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of this triple threat, as it could increase satellites' drag by up to 400%, pulling the spacecraft down to Earth, where they will either burn up in the atmosphere or crash to the planet's surface.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Atmospheric swelling would have devastating effects on LEO megaconstellations, but I doubt that GPS satellites way out at 20,000 km would be noticeably affected.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

I have no knowledge about this. How far out would the swelling extend?

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, but how is making them cool going to help?

“NASA confirms that their new GPS satellites are totally rad. They launch them to space via half pipe!”

(I’m joking.)

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Satellites are already designed for the majority of space weather. A big enough event, though, it's not possible to absorb.

[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I'm going to guess that a bunch of the cheap startup satellites were already on shaky ground