Scientists Propose Satellite Shield to Protect Earth From Catastrophic Solar Storms
The 'StormWall' concept would use a constellation of spacecraft to blunt the impact of a solar storm capable of crippling power grids
A team of scientists is proposing to build a constellation of satellites, dubbed "StormWall," designed to shield Earth from the most severe solar storms — the kind capable of knocking out power grids across the United States, according to CBS News.
The project addresses a long-standing vulnerability: a sufficiently powerful geomagnetic storm striking Earth could disable transformers, satellites and communications networks on a continental scale, with recovery potentially taking months. Modern power grids and electronics are far more susceptible to such disruption than they were during the last comparably severe solar event more than a century ago.
Brian Walsh, one of the concept's co-designers, discussed the proposal with CBS News, describing an effort to find a way to intercept or weaken a major solar storm before it reaches the planet rather than simply bracing for the aftermath.
Space weather forecasters currently can provide only limited warning before a solar storm arrives, leaving utilities and satellite operators little time to take protective measures. A defensive satellite system would mark a significant shift from monitoring space weather toward actively countering it, though the scientists behind StormWall are still in the early stages of developing and testing the concept.
— Compiled from reporting by CBS News.