NASA is taking action to prevent a potential “Internet apocalypse” that could cripple the world’s communication systems for months or even years. Scientists have warned that a solar storm, dubbed the “Internet apocalypse”, could occur over the next decade, making satellites and electric cables unusable.
The US space agency launched a spacecraft known as Parker’s Solar Probe (PSP) last year as part of a mission to study the sun and gather data on the solar wind – a constant stream of charged particles emanating from the sun’s outer atmosphere. Recently, PSP successfully reached an important line after overcoming the solar wind.
“Winds carry a lot of information from the Sun to Earth. Therefore, an understanding of the sun mechanism is important for practical reasons on Earth,” said Professor Stewart Bale from the University of California, who led the study. “This will affect our ability to understand how the Sun releases energy and causes geomagnetic storms that pose a threat to our communication networks.”
The potential consequences of a solar storm could leave satellites and electric cables useless, depriving people of internet access for several months or years. To combat this, NASA has launched a campaign offering the public the chance to have their names engraved on a microchip that will fly on board the NASA Space Apparatus “Europe Clipper” in 2019. The spacecraft is due to travel to Jupiter and its satellite Europe in October 2024.