Story
ESA’s Mars orbiters watch solar superstorm hit the Red Planet
Key takeaway
Solar superstorms can cause problems for spacecraft orbiting Mars, impacting space missions exploring the Red Planet.
Quick Explainer
ESA's Mars orbiters observed a powerful solar superstorm hit Mars in 2024, dramatically increasing electron levels in the planet's upper atmosphere and causing temporary glitches in the spacecraft, though the orbiters were designed to withstand such space weather events.