Space Weather Events

Space weather events are changes in the space environment caused by solar activity, including solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and variations in the solar wind and magnetic fields. The most visible effects of space weather on Earth are the Aurora Borealis. 

Space weather can affect systems in orbit and on Earth: radiation storms can harm satellite electronics and make them unusable, and geomagnetic storms can increase drag affecting satellite paths making it harder to coordinate space traffic. In extreme forms, it can endanger astronauts in space, disrupt communication and temporarily shut down the electricity grid on Earth. 

Understanding the effects of space weather events on Earth, assets and human life is therefore vital to mitigate the risks associated with them. 

SWE is a subcomponent of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) component of the EU Space Programme. The future SWE service set up as part of this subcomponent will help the space user domain i.e. satellites and satellite tracking services potentially affected by space weather events to better prepare for and mitigate adverse effects. 

To this end, the EU supports activities that will lead to the establishment of a SWE service. In preparation for this, the EU  

• assesses and identifies user needs, and performs an impact assessment of different service scenarios
• supports the development of space weather models
• supports the development, testing and validation of new space weather prediction capabilities