Solar activity can significantly affect life on Earth, from disrupting electricity networks to damaging satellites that support everyday services
As our reliance on space-based technology grows, understanding and predicting these events has become increasingly important
European Space Weather Week has been underway since 2 November and will continue until 6 November. It brings together experts from across Europe to explore how scientific research, data, and technology can help tackle these challenges.
This year’s Space Week focuses on data-driven and physics-based approaches to understanding space weather and its effects across different scales.
The impact of space weather
Space weather refers to changes in the environment around the Sun and Earth caused by solar activity. This includes solar flares, coronal mass ejections and variations in the solar wind.
While the Northern Lights are one of the most recognisable effects, space weather can also have more serious consequences. Powerful geomagnetic storms can damage satellite electronics, disrupt communications and navigation systems, and affect Earth’s electricity grids.
As a result, improving our understanding of solar activity is essential to protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the reliability of services that depend on space technology.
Three EU-funded projects advancing space research
Three projects are making important contributions to this area:
ASAP: Using artificial intelligence to improve space missions
The ASAP project is exploring how artificial intelligence can make future space missions more autonomous and efficient. Its AI-driven algorithms are designed to operate directly on spacecraft processors.
For space weather research, machine-learning models could help scientists analyse the growing volumes of data collected by space missions, overcoming the limitations of traditional analysis methods and restricted data transmission capacity.
SOLER: Investigating powerful solar events
SOLER is studying some of the Sun’s most energetic phenomena, including fast coronal mass ejections, powerful X-ray flares and large solar energetic particle events.
By analysing data from spacecraft operating in the heliosphere, the project aims to improve scientific understanding of how these events are connected and develop advanced tools for analysing and visualising solar activity.
SPEARHEAD: Improving high-energy particle observations
SPEARHEAD focuses on understanding energetic particles and their relationship with solar eruptions. Using observations from major space missions and ground-based measurements, the project aims to improve the accuracy of particle measurements and strengthen the analysis of solar events.
Building a safer and more resilient space environment
Space Weather Events form part of the European Union’s Space Situational Awareness programme, which helps satellite operators and other space users prepare for and reduce the risks associated with solar activity.
Through Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Space, HaDEA continues to support research that strengthens Europe’s space industry, encourages innovation and improves technological independence.
Together, projects such as ASAP, SOLER and SPEARHEAD are advancing scientific knowledge and developing the tools needed to understand better, monitor and respond to space weather threats, supporting a more resilient future for Europe’s space sector.
