Experts say the chance of a single satellite encountering a charge is one in a hundred. And there are 600 satellites. So, satellite companies are taking precautions knowing the worldwide effects of a crippled satellite. TV and radio broadcasts could be interrupted. News services rely on satellites to relay information.
Retailers use satellites for credit card approvals.
Pagers and ATM's also use satellites. If even one satellite is disabled during the storm, it may not only be a multi-million dollar disaster for its owners, but may disrupt service for millions of customers. There are 19 Intelsat satellites that orbit the Earth, bringing television, telephone and data distribution services to billions of people on every continent. The meteors are about the size of a grain of sand, with speeds of 50 miles per second with the energy of a 22-calibre bullet. At that size and speed, the meteors can create an electrically charged cloud, a plasma, which can cause a sudden electrical pulse which can upset sensitive electronics.