Abstract: The relation between the space environment and the life and reliability of satellites is discussed by analyzing various influencing factors. Space substorm environment is related to satellite surface charging and discharging; high energy electrons in belt cause satellite internal charging; solar and particle event and galactic cosmic ray induce single event effects; space charged particles and solar electromagnetic radiation produce a total dose effect; and space vacuum environment influences the satellite self-contamination. The evaluation, verification and guarantee technologies of these space environmental effects are also discussed.