How space weather forecasting keeps astronauts (and satellites) safe

BOULDER, Colorado – The sun’s volatile outbursts, such as storms, flares and other space weather, can cause serious harm to astronauts like the Artemis 2 crew who recently came home, and to satellites. That’s why the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado — part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — is working to sharpen space weather forecasting skills, honing the ability to monitor the space environment and provide solar-terrestrial information. The SWPC, the official source of space weather alerts and warnings for the United States, is driven to monitor solar outbursts that can impact satellite communications, GPS systems and electric power transmission here on Earth.