Space Regulatory Glossary Industry

space weather

noun

1. The variable conditions in the space environment between the Sun and Earth — including solar wind, energetic particles, and magnetic fields — that can affect spacecraft operations, communications, navigation, and human health in orbit.
2. Monitored by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) and categorized on three scales: R (radio blackouts), S (solar radiation storms), and G (geomagnetic storms), each rated 1 through 5 in severity.

Related terms

solar flare A sudden, intense burst of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun's surface, caused by the release of magnetic energy… coronal mass ejection A large-scale expulsion of magnetized plasma from the Sun's corona into the solar wind. CMEs can carry billions of tons… geomagnetic storm A temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere caused by the interaction of solar wind structures — typically coronal… Van Allen belts Two concentric zones of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. The inner belt (1,000–6,000 km) consists…

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