An explosive event from a star millions of years ago may have been the trigger for a terrifying mid-air incident that forced a passenger jet into an emergency landing and led to the grounding of thousands of aircraft worldwide, an expert has claimed.
The Incident and Immediate Aftermath
On 30 October, an Airbus A320 en route from Mexico to New Jersey experienced a sudden and uncontrolled drop in altitude. The pilots managed to regain control swiftly, but approximately 15 passengers were injured. The aircraft was diverted to Tampa airport in Florida for an emergency landing, where several of the hurt individuals required hospital treatment.
Initial investigations by Airbus, concluded this week, pointed to a malfunction in a key flight control computer. The affected system manages the plane's elevator ailerons, which control pitch. In this case, the computer erroneously commanded the aircraft to descend.
Space Radiation: A Cosmic Culprit?
Airbus's findings suggested the fault was likely initiated by an intense burst of space radiation, a known hazard for sensitive electronics. Both EU and US aviation authorities warned such an error could cause an 'uncommanded' steering movement so powerful it might exceed the aircraft's 'structural capability'.
This discovery revealed that around 50 variants of the Airbus A320, A319, and A321 families were vulnerable. Consequently, all 6,000 operational aircraft of these models were temporarily grounded worldwide for urgent updates. While most needed software patches, about 900 required hardware modifications.
However, the theory of 'intense solar radiation' proposed by Airbus faced immediate scepticism. Experts noted there were no significant solar flares recorded around the time of the incident. Professor Matthew Owens, a space physics expert at the University of Reading, told the BBC the timing and location did not point to a solar event.
The Supernova Theory Gains Traction
A more plausible explanation, according to a researcher who has studied radiation effects on aircraft for decades, is a cosmic ray. These are high-energy particles blasted across the universe by supernovae—exploding stars—millions of years ago.
Clive Dyer, a space weather specialist at the University of Surrey, explained to Space.com that these particles can interact with modern microelectronics, altering circuit states. 'They can cause a simple bit flip, like a 0 to 1 or 1 to 0. They can mess up information and make things go wrong,' he said. 'But they can cause hardware failures too, when they induce a current in an electronic device and burn it out.'
Scientists have warned that as computer chips become smaller, they grow more susceptible to these 'bit flips'. This vulnerability extends beyond aviation to other transport sectors increasingly reliant on computerised control systems.
Resolution and Ongoing Risks
Most airlines were able to implement the necessary fixes within hours, though hardware changes took longer. By Monday, Airbus stated that fewer than 100 planes globally still required modification, with only minor service disruption expected for the rest of the week.
The incident highlights a growing, invisible threat to modern technology from deep space, underscoring the need for robust shielding and system design in critical infrastructure like passenger aviation.
