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Space.com By Tereza Pultarova 7/1/2022

SpaceX's Starlink satellites will help improve space weather forecasts amid sun's unpredictable activity

"We don't have many satellites flying in situ providing information."

Space weather forecasters are developing models that would help satellite operators prepare for bad space weather. But they have a problem: a lack of measurements at altitudes where Earth's atmosphere meets outer space. SpaceX is now stepping in to help fill the gaps after its firsthand experience with an unexpected solar storm earlier this year.

This thin gas high above Earth's surface changes density when solar weather hits, and these density changes cause problems such as those the Starlink satellites experienced in February.

"To improve our model and the forecast system, we really need to bring in more data," Fang said. "And that's what SpaceX promised us. They will share with us the orbit information of their satellites to help us estimate the drag. Since they have so many satellites, they will give us a lot of data points."

Starlink currently operates more than 2,200 satellites that orbit Earth at an altitude of 340 miles (550 km). However, the company launches the satellites into a much lower orbit of only 217 miles (350 km) and raises their altitude using onboard propulsion units. It is at these lower altitudes that satellites are the most vulnerable to sudden space weather changes. Not many satellites fly as low, Fang said, which makes acquiring data at these altitudes even more difficult.

More: https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-helps-noaa-space-weather-forecast