Scientists propose launching 'airbag' into space to protect Earth

Scientists have suggested launching a giant ‘airbag’ into space to protect Earth from terrifying solar superstorms.

Our planet is regularly bombarded by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — giant clouds of electrically charged plasma blasted into space by powerful explosions on the Sun. 

These are responsible for beautiful aurora displays but, on occasion, can trigger radio blackouts and power outages.

Every few hundred years or so, the sun spits out a supercharged storm with the ability to cripple satellites, dose astronauts with lethal levels of radiation, damage power grids and even knock out the internet.

Experts have proposed a radical new way to combat this, which involves launching six bus-sized satellites into orbit at around 22,500 miles (36,000km) above Earth.

The next time a solar superstorm takes place, these would empty gas canisters around the edge of Earth’s magnetic field.

This would create a giant wall of plasma to cushion and redirect incoming particles – cutting the intensity of the storm in half.

‘The protection provided by (this) approach mimics an automobile airbag – installed once, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice and requiring little maintenance,’ the researchers said.

Experts have proposed launching six bus-sized satellites into orbit. The next time a solar superstorm takes place, these would empty gas canisters around the edge of Earth’s magnetic field, creating a giant wall of plasms to cushion and redirect incoming particles

Scientists have warned that a once-in-a-century solar storm could cause chaos on Earth, triggering power outages and radio blackouts 

The team, from the University of Michigan, spelled out their proposal in the journal Space Weather.

‘While humans become more reliant on Earth's space environment, the potential for significant harm from severe space weather continues to grow,’ they wrote.

‘As structures from the sun reach Earth's magnetosphere and space environment, they deposit energy that fuels geomagnetic storms.

‘Currently, space weather researchers work to predict the timing and intensity of space weather events, often providing warnings of several days prior to the initiation of a strong geomagnetic storm.

‘Here a new paradigm is presented where, rather than prediction alone, active steps are taken to mitigate the impact of solar wind structures through temporarily modifying Earth's magnetosphere.’

The idea behind the satellite constellation, called StormWall, is to create a protective barrier before an incoming solar storm arrives.

To do this, they would release a large quantity of a reactive gas such as sodium, barium, calcium or lithium into Earth’s magnetosphere when a large flare on the sun is detected.

This would then create a huge plasma barrier that would push back against the incoming bombardment of charged particles, and help divert it around our planet.

To test how effective this could be, they carried out simulations of a major geomagnetic storm that took place in May 2024 and found their proposed ‘airbag’ could have reduced the intensity of the resulting geomagnetic disturbance by as much as 84 per cent

What is a solar storm?

The churning plasma of the sun's outer layers is constantly being reshaped by a chaotic system of twisting magnetic fields, colossal explosions, and vast currents of plasma.

Together, the energy and particles blasted into space and out towards Earth are called space weather.

When scientists talk about solar storms, what they are usually referring to is something called a coronal mass ejection (CME).

CMEs occur when highly twisted magnetic fields known as 'flux ropes' tangle around cool regions on the sun's surface and build up massive amounts of energy.

When the ropes eventually snap, the blast can shoot billions of tonnes of solar material into space.

This wave of charged particles, magnetic fields, and plasma currents then slams into our atmosphere.

These storms produce harmless, even beautiful, effects like the Northern lights, but also create big problems for electrical equipment. 

To test how effective this could be, they carried out simulations of a major geomagnetic storm that took place in May 2024.

This was the most powerful disturbance in 20 years.

Analysis revealed their proposed ‘airbag’ could have reduced the intensity of the resulting geomagnetic disturbance by as much as 84 per cent.

‘If I knew that a 100-year disturbance was coming and it would knock out power grids, I definitely would want this,’ David Sibeck, chief of heliophysics at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told Science magazine.

The study concludes: ‘This work has shown that humans have the ability and technology to actively stop or reduce the intensity of a geomagnetic storm.

‘The total mass required is within the ability of current and near-future launch technologies and the process lends itself well to international collaboration.

‘The threat of the space environment on human life and technology remains a major risk internationally.

‘Response thus far has been primarily based on developing prediction systems. Here, rather than prediction alone, a method is provided for defence.’

Earlier this year, a terrifying report laid bare exactly what would happen if a solar storm hit the UK.

In Britain's worst–case scenario, an eruption of charged particles from the sun will smash into the atmosphere, triggering electrical blackouts and widespread disruption.

From the satellites that power GPS services to the sensitive electronics inside nuclear power stations, almost every type of electronic system would be at risk.

Read More

Minute-by-minute, what would happen if a solar SUPERSTORM hit Earth - as scientists warn one could strike us 'at any moment'

When this 'geomagnetic storm' is strong enough, it can induce electrical currents in any long stretches of metal on the surface – including the high–voltage wires that make up the grid.

The report warns that this would trigger safety switches in transformer stations, leading to cascading blackouts that would plunge the country into darkness.

Power surges could also affect train signals, leading to failures that could cause deadly collisions.

A strong enough solar storm might even change the orbits of some satellites, causing major problems for the world’s navigation systems.

SOLAR STORMS PRESENT A CLEAR DANGER TO ASTRONAUTS AND CAN DAMAGE SATELLITES

Solar storms, or solar activity, can be divided into four main components that can have impacts on Earth:  

• Solar flares: A large explosion in the sun's atmosphere. These flares are made of photons that travel out directly from the flare site. Solar flares impact Earth only when they occur on the side of the sun facing Earth.  
• Coronal Mass Ejections (CME's): Large clouds of plasma and magnetic field that erupt from the sun. These clouds can erupt in any direction, and then continue on in that direction, plowing through solar wind. These clouds only cause impacts to Earth when they're aimed at Earth. 
• High-speed solar wind streams: These come from coronal holes on the sun, which form anywhere on the sun and usually only when they are closer to the solar equator do the winds impact Earth. 
• Solar energetic particles: High-energy charged particles thought to be released primarily by shocks formed at the front of coronal mass ejections and solar flares. When a CME cloud plows through solar wind, solar energetic particles can be produced and because they are charged, they follow the magnetic field lines between the Sun and Earth. Only charged particles that follow magnetic field lines that intersect Earth will have an impact. 

While these may seem dangerous, astronauts are not in immediate danger of these phenomena because of the relatively low orbit of manned missions.

However, they do have to be concerned about cumulative exposure during space walks.

This photo shows the sun's coronal holes in an x-ray image. The outer solar atmosphere, the corona, is structured by strong magnetic fields, which when closed can cause the atmosphere to suddenly and violently release bubbles or tongues of gas and magnetic fields called coronal mass ejections

The damage caused by solar storms 

Solar flares can damage satellites and have an enormous financial cost.

The charged particles can also threaten airlines by disturbing Earth's magnetic field.

Very large flares can even create currents within electricity grids and knock out energy supplies.

When Coronal Mass Ejections strike Earth they cause geomagnetic storms and enhanced aurora.

They can disrupt radio waves, GPS coordinates and overload electrical systems.

A large influx of energy could flow into high voltage power grids and permanently damage transformers.

This could shut off businesses and homes around the world. 

Source: NASA - Solar Storm and Space Weather