• Satellites are built to withstand solar winds, yet damage can still occur.solar wind image by siloto from Fotolia.com
  
  A solar wind is made of plasma and can travel at speeds of up to 559 miles per second, with temperatures reaching one million degrees Celsius. The solar wind is comprised of protons and electrons that have been charged and energized as they escape from the sun. The solar wind is caused when the sun's hot solar corona, the outer layer, expands into space.
  
  

Performance

• Satellites are designed to withstand solar winds because the winds are constantly present in space. Satellites, which often run using solar panels, occasionally lose service because of solar storms. Satellites can also experience a 3 to 5 percent reduction in performance each day. To stop this from happening, satellites have been made with over-sized solar panels to adjust in case they lose some performance power.
  
  

Communications

• Communication satellite designers and engineers have taken extra measures to ensure that the delicate vital controls are as protected as possible in the satellite to reduce the risk of adverse affects on communication grids. If these grids were to be damaged, it could be hazardous for astronauts in space because they would not be able to contact Earth.
  
  

Differential Charging

• Solar winds can cause differential charging to spacecrafts and satellites. This happens because there is an increase in the energy and number of protons and electrons. This charges parts of the spacecraft or satellite differently as the winds pass over. Discharges occur and can cause necessary components to become inoperable or damaged.
  
  

Bulk or Deep Charging

• Bulk charging, also known as deep charging, affects the internal components of a satellite. This happens when electrons penetrate the surface of the satellite and reach the internal components where the electrons can deposit their charge. If severe enough to any one component the satellite may attempt to neutralize the charge by discharging onto other components. This action can do enough damage to harm the satellite's electrical system.