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Astronomy

The Effects of Space Weather on Satellite Technology

Quick fact

A single solar flare can release energy equivalent to millions of hydrogen bombs; the March 1989 geomagnetic storm caused a 9-hour blackout across Quebec and knocked several satellites offline.

Why this is interesting

Your GPS signal suddenly goes silent, a satellite TV channel flickers, and a weather satellite stops transmitting—all because the Sun sneezed. How can a solar storm, 150 million kilometres away, cripple orbiting technology?