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Solar coronal loops, such as those observed by NASA’s Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE) satellite here in 2005, follow the path of the magnetic field on the Sun. When these loops ‘break’ in just the right way, they can emit coronal mass ejections, which have the potential to impact Earth. A large CME or solar flare could create a new type of natural disaster: a ‘Flaremageddon’ scenario. (NASA / TRACE)

Flaremageddon: How Satellite Mega-Constellations Could Create A New Natural Disaster

With tens of thousands of satellites requiring AI-control to avoid collisions, a single solar flare could everything.

Published in
8 min read Feb 26, 2020

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Over the next few years, the night sky and the volume of space that surrounds the Earth are both poised to become very…

Ethan Siegel
Starts With A Bang!

Written by Ethan Siegel
214K Followers
Editor for

The Universe is: Expanding, cooling, and dark. It starts with a bang! #Cosmology Science writer, astrophysicist, science communicator & NASA columnist.

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