Space weather simulations exercice at ESOC

Before every ESA launch, mission teams undergo a rigorous simulation phase which rehearses the first moments of a satellite in space, while preparing mission control for any anomaly. Since mid-September, teams at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) have been immersed in simulations for Sentinel-1D, scheduled for launch on 4 November 2025.

To model one of the most extreme scenarios, simulation officers drew inspiration from the infamous Carrington event of 1859, the strongest geomagnetic storm ever recorded. The exercise replicated the effects of a catastrophic solar storm on satellite operations to test the team’s ability to respond without satellite navigation and under severe electronic disruption.