Harnessing Solar Sails: A New Frontier in Space Weather Prediction
The burgeoning space industry faces threats from space weather, with events like interplanetary coronal mass ejections posing risks to satellites and astronauts. A new satellite constellation, SWIFT, aims to enhance prediction capabilities by utilizing solar sails for extended monitoring of space weather, crucial for business and military operations.
- Country:
- United States
The space industry, crucial to modern technology like satellite networks and aviation, faces significant risks from space weather. Space weather, comprising variations in the space environment between the Sun and Earth, can trigger geomagnetic storms threatening critical infrastructures.
A new effort led by heliophysicists involves developing a satellite constellation named SWIFT, designed to predict space weather events with greater accuracy. By using solar sails, this system hopes to exceed current warning systems, providing up to 60 minutes of advance notice.
Given the increasing reliance on space-based technologies, preventing disruptions from space weather is essential. The SWIFT project promises a significant leap in space weather forecasting, ensuring better preparation and response to potential disruptions affecting multiple sectors globally.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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