…Triggers Emergency Protocols for Satellite and Aviation Operators
Global telecommunications and satellite operators are bracing for the most intense solar radiation storm in over two decades, following a massive eruption from the sun on Sunday.
The National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued an S4 ‘Severe’ alert, warning that the surge in charged particles could cause significant interference for GPS accuracy, satellite-based communication, and aviation navigation systems through Tuesday morning.
According to SWPC, the solar radiation storm ranked at a level four out of five on a severity scale is currently being tracked.
“An S4 severe solar radiation storm is now in progress – this is the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years. The last time S4 levels were observed was in October, 2003. Potential effects are mainly limited to space launch, aviation, and satellite operations,” SWPC shared on X.
Furthermore, SWPC noted the Halloween space weather storms of October 2003 resulted in power outages in Sweden and damages to power transformers in South Africa.
When solar radiation storms reach Earth, they can cause increased radiation exposure risks for astronauts in low-Earth orbit, like those aboard the International Space Station, as well as passengers on flights that are traveling polar routes.
Being on alert, SWPC disclosed airlines, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and other operators has been notified to prepare for the storm.
“We’ve been making all these phone calls to ensure that we are keeping all the critical technological infrastructure operators in the know of what’s happening,” said SWPC forecaster Shawn Dahl.
During increased radiation risk events, astronauts can move to parts of the space station that are better shielded, as they have during previous solar storms, like an extreme geomagnetic storm that occurred in May 2024.
Heightened radiation can also pose risks to satellites they rely on for communications and navigation.
While satellite operators will likely need to take action Monday night, widespread technology impacts for the general public are not expected, said Ryan French, a solar physicist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.
