Could Predict Impact of Solar Storms Sun. British scientists are developing a powerful computer that could predict the effects of upcoming solar storms before they threaten power grids and communications on Earth, as well as astronauts and satellites. Such flares and ejections occasionally spurt towards Earth and in some cases can have dangerous consequences as soon as a couple hours later. Solar storms affect the Earth's magnetic environment, potentially disrupting radio signals, causing electrical blackouts and causing oil surges in pipelines. Heat from solar flares has caused Earth-orbiting satellites to drop out of the sky and burn up as they enter the expanding atmosphere.
Some solar ejections have the potential to kill astronauts aboard the space shuttle.