Loading…
Loading contentLoading…
Loading contentThe hazards of space — the Sun's storms, the radiation of the Solar System and galaxy, and the debris and plasma that threaten spacecraft and astronauts — and the missions that watch for them. Built on real NASA and NOAA data; this encyclopedia states no live conditions and nothing is fabricated.
The continuous stream of charged particles — mostly protons and electrons — that flows outward from the Sun's corona at hundreds of kilometres per second, filling the Solar System and shaping planetary magnetospheres.
A temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere, driven by the arrival of a fast solar wind or a coronal mass ejection. Strong storms can disrupt satellites, power grids, and navigation, and drive bright auroras.
Two (sometimes more) doughnut-shaped zones of energetic charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. Spacecraft crossing the belts — and those in orbits within them — must be hardened against the intense radiation.
A global index of geomagnetic activity, derived from magnetometer readings and reported every three hours on a scale of 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm). Kp is the standard measure used to forecast auroras and satellite disturbances.