Satellite orbits are warping into a strange W shape during solar storms, threatening the stability of global internet networks.
April 29, 2026
Original Paper
CosmicDancePro -- Measuring LEO satellite's orbital decay and network connectivity implications during solar storms
arXiv · 2604.22685
The Takeaway
Space weather usually just increases drag on satellites, causing them to slowly lose altitude. This study identified a specific mechanism that makes entire constellations of satellites bob up and down in a predictable but weird pattern. The atmosphere expands unevenly during solar flares, creating pockets of dense air that push on the satellites in ways engineers did not expect. This phenomenon can disrupt the precise timing needed for satellite to satellite communication. Understanding these patterns is vital for keeping global internet coverage from dropping out during high solar activity.
From the abstract
The May 2024 solar superstorm highlighted the vulnerability of rapidly expanding low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks to severe space weather events. To systematically evaluate LEO network resilience, we introduce an open-source tool, CosmicDancePro. It enables a comprehensive analysis of the effects of solar storms in the LEO satellite network. It integrates real-world multimodal datasets, including space weather measurements from several satellites, upper-atmospheric density conditions fro