text: what are solar flares? what do solar flares have to do with damage to satellites? a solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. radiation is emitted across virtually the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves at the long wavelength end, through optical emission to x-rays and gamma rays at the short wavelength end. the amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time!