Strong solar storm shakes up satellites, but your GPS is safe
A major solar storm hit Earth this November, causing trouble for several satellites in orbit.
The European Space Agency (ESA) kept a close eye on things and picked up a powerful solar flare before the storm arrived.
The good news? Everyday navigation systems like GPS weren't affected, so your maps and apps kept working just fine.
Satellites took a hit—here's what happened
ESA's Swarm satellites recorded magnetic field spikes up to 10 times higher than usual, leading to rare 'proton auroras' showing up farther from the poles.
The BepiColombo spacecraft heading to Mercury ran into some intense radiation that messed with its memory for a bit—but it's back on track now.
This whole event is a reminder that we need tougher satellite designs to handle wild space weather in the future.