Get ready for a loss of GPS signals.
I am curious, can satellites be turned to shield the more sensitive parts when an incoming CME is immenent?
Or even the newer satellites, maybe some shutters to close them up as an additional shield over sensitive parts?
Apparently the answer is yes, to a point, they can be shielded. Turning the satellite also works to some degree but that obviously involves shutting it down. The experts also say they do get enough warning.
According to Wikipedia, the primary effect of geomagnetic storms on the GPS system is that “solar activity disrupts their signal propagation.” During the storm, the ionosphere is so screwed up that the received signals don’t give the right answer. That occurs even if the satellites are unaffected by the storm.
All spacecraft are built with a good understanding of the radiation environment, including the 11-year solar cycle. The hardware is made to tolerate both total doses and individual CMEs many times stronger than average. And the advance knowledge of a storm (since the particles from a CME travel much slower than the visible light from it) can in some cases allow the spacecraft operators to turn the side that’s least vulnerable. But that may not improve the odds by much, and it will surely take the satellite out of service while it’s rotated — which could be a couple days.