How will Australia’s emergency services cope if satellites go down? With a sextant and a street directory

Australia’s emergency services and military personnel are being taught to work without the satellites and digital tools they normally rely on, as experts warn that a severe solar event could disrupt key parts of the country’s space-dependent infrastructure.

According to a panel discussion at the 19th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide on Wednesday, the scenario under review was stark: what happens “if we suddenly lost access to critical space infrastructure — no satellites, no GPS, no remote sensing, no secure communications?” The answer, at least in part, is a return to older methods that many responders have not needed to use in routine operations for years.

Personnel have reportedly been trained in analog communication and navigation techniques, including reading paper maps, navigating without GPS assistance and, in some cases, sailing by the stars. The preparation reflects concern that a major solar flare or similar event could temporarily take down systems that support emergency response, military coordination and broader public services.

The briefing also pointed to the practical consequences of a satellite outage for day-to-day operations. Emergency services depend on GPS for location tracking, route planning and dispatch support, while remote sensing and secure communications are important for situational awareness and command decisions. If those systems fail, responders may need to fall back on tools such as street directories, compasses and manual radio procedures.

The forum discussion suggests officials and specialists are increasingly treating space infrastructure resilience as a public safety issue, not just a technology concern. That shift comes as governments and agencies around the world assess how vulnerable modern communications, navigation and monitoring networks may be to space weather and other disruptive events.

The report is based on a monitored public feed and summarizes remarks and training described around the Adelaide forum. Source attribution: The Guardian World reported on the preparations and expert warnings about the risk to critical space infrastructure.

Source: The Guardian World - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/23/australia-emergency-services-satellites-down