Space weather can make it hard to predict satellite trajectories. Here's why that's a problem

Illustration of a fiery orange sun erupting with multiple big solar storms.

Satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) can venture hundreds of miles off their expected trajectories when bad space weather hits. The problem affects the International Space Station, China's Tiangong space station and many Earth-observing satellites that need a close view of our planet.

Experts say this positioning uncertainty increases the risk of dangerous orbital collisions, which threaten to worsen the space debris problem and make the space around Earth unsafe.