The occurrence of operational anomalies in spacecraft and their relationship to space weather

Modern spacecraft systems and subsystems appear to show an increasing susceptibility to effects of the space environment. This trend is probably due to “softer” designs of electronic components, reduction in subsystem sizes, and increases in performance demands and number of components within spacecraft. The major agents within the space environment that contribute to spacecraft anomalies can be reasonably well described. This paper reviews operational anomaly trends and assesses the identification and potential prediction of causative space weather agents