As part of the Commission’s work on space weather, a new study has been published examining the potential impacts of an extreme space weather event on various sectors across the EU. The study assesses the risks while considering a forward-looking scenario: a fully operational and advanced space weather service in 2040. It concludes that while further investments are necessary, strengthening space weather protection could provide substantial benefits to society as a whole.
The study is an ESA deliverable as part of its Contribution Agreement with the Commission in the implementation of the SWE subcomponent of the EU Space Programme. It was implemented under a consortium led by PWC.
Background
SWE is a subcomponent of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) component of the EU Space Programme. The future SWE service will help domains potentially affected by space weather events to better prepare for and mitigate adverse effects.
More information
- Publication date
- 27 August 2026
- Author
- Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space
- Department
- Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space