The simulation team has modelled a massive, X45-class flare, with intense X-ray and ultraviolet radiation disrupting radar systems, communications, and tracking data. Galileo and GPS navigation functionalities are now offline, while ground stations, especially in polar regions, have lost tracking capabilities due to peak radiation levels.

Moments later, Earth is hit by a second wave, this time composed of high-energy particles, including protons, electrons, and alpha particles. These particles, accelerated to near-light speeds, have taken 10 to 20 minutes to reach our planet, and are starting to disturb onboard electronics with bit flips and potential permanent failures.

“The solar flare took team members by surprise. But once they regained composure, they knew a countdown had begun. In the next 10 to 18 hours, a coronal mass ejection would strike, and they had to brace for it,” says Gustavo Baldo Carvalho, Lead Simulation Officer of Sentinel-1D.