Surrey Space Centre study warns of aviation risks from space weather

Research from the Surrey Space Centre (SSC) indicates that extreme space weather and solar storms pose significant risks to aviation safety, including increased radiation exposure and electronic malfunctions.

At typical flight altitudes of 8–14 km, radiation levels can surge during solar events. A major solar storm in November 2025 caused radiation levels to rise to nearly ten times normal conditions. Historical data suggests the 1956 solar storm could have exposed passengers to a year’s worth of cosmic radiation.

Beyond biological risks, high-energy particles can cause ‘Single Event Upsets’ (SEUs)—errors in aircraft electronics that can disrupt critical systems. Such disruptions may increase pilot workload and operational challenges. The study notes that Airbus previously grounded 6,000 A320 aircraft due to solar radiation vulnerabilities, and a JetBlue flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Florida in October 2025 following such an incident. Risks are particularly elevated on polar flight routes.