Solar storms could expose airline passengers to a year's radiation in a single flight

New research shows extreme space weather can significantly raise radiation exposure on commercial flights and cause electronic faults in aircraft systems. A solar storm on the scale of the 1956 event could expose passengers to a full year's worth of radiation in a single flight. Researchers point to last year's Airbus A320 grounding — triggered by a solar radiation-linked flight computer fault — as real-world evidence of the risk. The team has proposed a new aviation-specific radiation scale to guide airlines on when to reroute or ground flights during severe solar events.

Similar stories

📈 Business China's C919 makes first international flight — challenging Boeing and Airbus CNBC · 3d ago 🔬 Science NASA's PUNCH mission can now accurately predict solar storm arrivals Engadget · 10d ago 💻 Technology Airbus tests ultra-long-range jet for non-stop Australia-to-Europe flights AntyWeb · 22d ago