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\t\t\t\t\t\t05\/03\/2025<\/span> A compelling collection of images that illustrates humanity\u2019s efforts to mitigate the far-reaching impacts of violent solar outbursts has been unveiled in London.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The exhibition \u2013 created by photographer and storyteller Max Alexander \u2013 features photos of instruments that will be carried by ESA\u2019s Vigil mission, which is expected to transform Europe\u2019s ability to forecast space weather following its launch in 2031.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n About 150 million km separate Earth from its closest star but the planet is still well within the vast region of space, known as the heliosphere, that is dominated by the huge amounts energetic material and intense radiation emitted by the Sun.<\/p>\n Solar flares, coronal mass ejections, solar wind and geomagnetic storms can cause changes to the space environment, influencing Earth\u2019s atmosphere and magnetic field.<\/p>\n Most of the time these phenomena are harmless \u2013 and occasionally trigger stunning displays of aurora borealis \u2013 but extreme events have the potential to disrupt infrastructure on Earth and in space, including satellite telecommunications, global positioning systems, and power grids.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Max Alexander says, \u201cThe Sun gives us life, but it can also expose the vulnerabilities of the increasingly complex, intertwined systems on which we rely. With the perspectives of leading experts, my aim is to highlight this duality as we build the resilience needed to coexist with the power of our closest star.\u201d<\/p>\n Given the potential economic consequences of extreme solar activity, ESA is expanding Europe\u2019s capability to forecast space weather, as demonstrated by the development of Vigil.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Matthew West, Vigil Mission Scientist at ESA, explains, \u201cFrom its unique vantage point in deep space, Vigil will detect what happens on the Sun\u2019s surface days before it rotates into view from Earth and satellites on the Sun-Earth line.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cAs the first mission to permanently observe the Sun and Earth from the side, its instruments can detect how space weather and the causes of geomagnetic storms move from the Sun towards our planet. This greatly improves our understanding and provides a much more precise and actionable forecast.\u201d<\/p>\n Airbus UK is the prime contractor for the spacecraft and several of its instruments are being developed under the leadership of British institutes, including its magnetometer and its plasma analyser, both of which are featured in the photography collection.<\/p>\n Vigil will greatly enhance ESA\u2019s existing space weather network, managed from its mission control centre in Germany, which draws on observations from multiple sources to provide actionable information on solar activity.\u00a0<\/p>\n Giuseppe Mandorlo, Vigil Project Manager at ESA, says, \u201cThe recent Lloyds of London report on economic impacts due to a major solar event estimated losses of up to $2.4 trillion over 5 years, which highlights the scale and long-lasting effects of such an event.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cThe forecasting and \u2018nowcasting\u2019 space weather services that Vigil will enable will be essential if we are to mitigate the impacts to our critical services and daily life. Vigil is an investment in protecting our infrastructure and people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Alexander concludes, \u201cSolar storms have struck our planet before, and we know they will again \u2013 it is just a matter of when. This exhibition tells the story of how humanity is using its ingenuity and knowledge to develop the tools protect itself from such an event.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Life in the Sun\u2019s Atmosphere: from Disruption to Resilience\u2019 is on show in London at Lloyd\u2019s, the world\u2019s leading insurance and reinsurance marketplace, from 3 to 14 March 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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