▁de als ▁with ▁phen omena ▁involving ▁ambient ▁pl asma , ▁magnetic ▁fields , ▁radiation ▁and ▁other ▁matter ▁in ▁space ▁( gener ally ▁close ▁to ▁Earth ▁but ▁also ▁in ▁inter plan et ary , ▁and ▁occasionally ▁inter stell ar ▁medium ). ▁" Space ▁weather ▁describes ▁the ▁conditions ▁in ▁space ▁that ▁affect ▁Earth ▁and ▁its ▁techn ological ▁systems . ▁Our ▁space ▁weather ▁is ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁the ▁behavior ▁of ▁the ▁Sun , ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁Earth ' s ▁magnetic ▁field , ▁and ▁our ▁location ▁in ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System ." ▁ ▁Space ▁weather ▁ex ert s ▁a ▁prof ound ▁influence ▁in ▁several ▁areas ▁related ▁to ▁space ▁expl oration ▁and ▁development . ▁Ch anging ▁geom agnet ic ▁conditions ▁can ▁indu ce ▁changes ▁in ▁atmos pher ic ▁density ▁causing ▁the ▁rapid ▁de grad ation ▁of ▁space craft ▁alt itude ▁in ▁Low ▁Earth ▁orbit . ▁Ge om agnet ic ▁storm s ▁due ▁to ▁increased ▁solar ▁activity ▁can ▁potentially ▁blind ▁sens ors ▁ab o ard ▁space craft , ▁or ▁inter f ere ▁with ▁on - board ▁electron ics . ▁An ▁understanding ▁of ▁space ▁environmental ▁conditions ▁is ▁also ▁important ▁in ▁design ing ▁shield ing ▁and ▁life ▁support ▁systems ▁for ▁cre wed ▁space craft . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁consider ations ▁ ▁Rock ets ▁as ▁a ▁class ▁are ▁not ▁inher ently ▁gross ly ▁poll uting . ▁However , ▁some ▁rock ets ▁use ▁to xic ▁prop ell ants , ▁and ▁most ▁vehicles ▁use ▁prop ell ants ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁carbon ▁neutral . ▁Many ▁solid ▁rock ets ▁have ▁ch lor ine ▁in ▁the ▁form