Space weather is the main source of uncertainty in the location of satellites and debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). All objects in LEO orbit through the region of the Earth鈥檚 upper atmosphere called the 鈥淭hermosphere鈥�. As solar conditions change, the thermosphere swells and shrinks, causing variable drag forces on orbiting objects. During an extreme geomagnetic storm, these forces could lead to dramatic changes in the orbits of all objects in LEO leading to a much higher risk of collision.
