Devastating solar storm that could knock-out power and communications worldwide is a matter of 'when, not if'

Devastating solar storm that could knock-out power and communications worldwide is a matter of 'when, not if' warns Met Office as the ESA begins testing its Solar Orbiter satellite

Solar storms are streams of radioactive particles launched from the sun

They 'pose a threat to national infrastructure, UK industry and the wider public'

The storms are the focus of a new ESA satellite mission dubbed the Solar Orbiter


A devastating solar storm which could fry power grids and knock out communication systems on Earth is a matter of 'when, not if', the Met Office warned.

Solar storms – high-speed streams of radioactive particles launched from the sun – pose a threat to national infrastructure, UK industry and the wider public, it said.

These potentially devastating storms are the focus of a new European Space Agency satellite dubbed the Solar Orbiter – a mission part-funded by the UK Space Agency.

British engineers are putting the finishing touches to the satellite this week before sending it to Germany to begin a year-long test campaign.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]