Space Weather Effects on Satellites
The study presents a concise overview on the main effects on satellites due to space weather drivers compared to the well-known interplanetary, magnetospheric and ground-based consequences. The solar-activity-driven influences include specific physics-based effects on the spacecraft surface and on-b...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Astronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0346/2/3/12 |
| _version_ | 1797581391905423360 |
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| author | Rositsa Miteva Susan W. Samwel Stela Tkatchova |
| author_facet | Rositsa Miteva Susan W. Samwel Stela Tkatchova |
| author_sort | Rositsa Miteva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study presents a concise overview on the main effects on satellites due to space weather drivers compared to the well-known interplanetary, magnetospheric and ground-based consequences. The solar-activity-driven influences include specific physics-based effects on the spacecraft surface and on-board electronics due to electromagnetic emission and energetic particles as well as complex effects due to geomagnetic storms which may endanger the mission performance and spacecraft longevity. We select as test examples the Starlink satellites in the period 2019–2022 and present the temporal correspondence between their launches and the space weather phenomena. Based on comparative analysis, we discuss whether the occurrence vs. the intensity of solar and interplanetary drivers of space weather can be considered as a cause for orbital stability problems and satellite loss. The results suggest that a sequence of geomagnetic disturbances together with multiple weak space weather events could lead to severe levels of atmospheric drag ending in a service or satellite loss. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:03:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b60ba05cc8c946c5a56a72d163fb6dd0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2674-0346 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:03:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Astronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b60ba05cc8c946c5a56a72d163fb6dd02023-11-19T09:29:38ZengMDPI AGAstronomy2674-03462023-08-012316517910.3390/astronomy2030012Space Weather Effects on SatellitesRositsa Miteva0Susan W. Samwel1Stela Tkatchova2Institute of Astronomy and National Astronomical Observatory (IANAO), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1784 Sofia, BulgariaNational Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan 11421, EgyptEuropean Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), 1049 Brussels, BelgiumThe study presents a concise overview on the main effects on satellites due to space weather drivers compared to the well-known interplanetary, magnetospheric and ground-based consequences. The solar-activity-driven influences include specific physics-based effects on the spacecraft surface and on-board electronics due to electromagnetic emission and energetic particles as well as complex effects due to geomagnetic storms which may endanger the mission performance and spacecraft longevity. We select as test examples the Starlink satellites in the period 2019–2022 and present the temporal correspondence between their launches and the space weather phenomena. Based on comparative analysis, we discuss whether the occurrence vs. the intensity of solar and interplanetary drivers of space weather can be considered as a cause for orbital stability problems and satellite loss. The results suggest that a sequence of geomagnetic disturbances together with multiple weak space weather events could lead to severe levels of atmospheric drag ending in a service or satellite loss.https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0346/2/3/12space weathergeomagnetic stormssatelliteorbit stabilitysatellite sub-system failureeconomic losses |
| spellingShingle | Rositsa Miteva Susan W. Samwel Stela Tkatchova Space Weather Effects on Satellites Astronomy space weather geomagnetic storms satellite orbit stability satellite sub-system failure economic losses |
| title | Space Weather Effects on Satellites |
| title_full | Space Weather Effects on Satellites |
| title_fullStr | Space Weather Effects on Satellites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Space Weather Effects on Satellites |
| title_short | Space Weather Effects on Satellites |
| title_sort | space weather effects on satellites |
| topic | space weather geomagnetic storms satellite orbit stability satellite sub-system failure economic losses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0346/2/3/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rositsamiteva spaceweathereffectsonsatellites AT susanwsamwel spaceweathereffectsonsatellites AT stelatkatchova spaceweathereffectsonsatellites |