GNSS Systems Impacted by Solar Storm

Tractor maker John Deere recently issued warnings regarding the effects of a severe G5 solar storm on its satellite positioning technology. The solar storm, which illuminated the skies with northern lights across the US and Europe, has also disrupted GNSS satellite positioning systems, prompting John Deere to seek solutions for predicting and mitigating future issues.

According to John Deere, the ongoing solar flare and space weather activity are significantly impacting GPS and RTK networks. This geomagnetic storm, the most severe since 2005, is expected to persist throughout the weekend. The company relies on real-time kinematic (RTK) technology to transmit correction data to its StarFire SF2 and SF3 satellite receivers installed on tractors in fields.

As a precautionary measure, John Deere recommended temporarily disabling RTK and implementing a grace period for SF2/SF3 usage. This approach aims to eliminate conflicting corrections caused by the geomagnetic storm, although it may lead to reduced GPS accuracy. The company acknowledged that the accuracy of SF2 and SF3 systems is also compromised due to the storm's impact on base station corrections.

In response to the challenges posed by the solar storm, John Deere emphasized the importance of addressing the accuracy issues affecting various satellite receiver models. While the StarFire 7000 and 7500 receivers demonstrated better resilience with access to four satellite constellations, they still experienced accuracy losses. Upgrading to these models may offer improvements, but it is not a definitive solution to the accuracy degradation.

Looking ahead, John Deere is exploring tools to predict and prepare for future solar events. The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to launch a satellite by 2031 to enhance early warning capabilities from 12 hours to five days. Despite the current challenges, John Deere remains optimistic that the recent solar storm is a rare occurrence that will not pose frequent threats in the future.

Meanwhile, ESA, responsible for operating the Galileo GNSS satellite navigation system, has been leveraging satellites like SMOS and Swarm to monitor solar flares. These satellites play a crucial role in tracking solar storms and their impact on Earth's magnetic field. The data collected by these satellites contributes to a better understanding of space weather phenomena and their potential hazards on Earth.