Solar weather effects on satellites

The sun experiences 11 year cycles of “solar weather”, during which its activity passes from a period of calm to a period of turbulence - culminating in the “solar maximum”, which can potentially cause severe disruption to satellites and aircraft. According to the latest predictions by the NASA space-weather centre, the solar maximum will peak in mid-2013. Satellites are built to withstand such conditions - over the last five decades only a few satellites have experienced failures related to solar weather.

TSBc’s prepares for solar weather

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc) is constantly following and studying the variations in solar activity, and is well prepared for the upcoming solar maximum.

While it is true that from time to time satellites have experienced failures caused by solar activity, these occurrences are very rare. Out of the several hundred communication satellites launched in the past decades, only handfuls have suffered failures related to solar activity. The solar cycles, and the particular risks associated with the different phases in the cycle, are very well understood by the communication-satellite industry. All TSBc satellites are specifically designed, built and tested to withstand severe solar activity, and TSBc does not expect the upcoming solar maximum to cause any problems to its satellite fleet.