CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – NASA has issued a warning about powerful solar flares that could disrupt communication systems in space and on Earth. The warning comes after a recent solar flare peaked at 5:34 p.m. EST on February 22, 2024. The flare was classified as an X6.3 event, making it a significant concern for space agencies and communication operators.
Solar flares are ranked in five categories, with X-class flares being the most powerful. This recent X6.3 flare is considered the 27th-most powerful flare ever recorded and the largest since 2017. In comparison, the most powerful event on record was rated as an X40.
The recent X6.3 flare followed two other strong flares, an X1.8 on Wednesday and an X1.7 on Thursday, causing potential disruptions to radio communications and navigation systems. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) assures that the flare poses no significant threat to the general public, it could lead to temporary signal degradation or loss for operators of high-frequency radios on the sunlit side of the planet during the event.
Space agencies and astronauts aboard the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong space station are on high alert due to the dangers posed by solar flares, which can produce harmful radiation. While no immediate threat has been reported, the ISS crew has been relieved of duties over the weekend in response to the situation.
Despite the potential for disruption, the recent solar flares were not responsible for the cellular network outages experienced across the United States. However, there are concerns that a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) resulting from an X-class flare could pose a serious threat to Earth’s technological systems. A CME has the potential to hurl billions of tons of solar plasma into space, potentially causing extensive geomagnetic storms that could threaten grids, satellites, and communication infrastructure.
These recent solar flares coincide with Solar Cycle 25, which began in 2019 and is predicted to continue until around 2030, with its peak expected in 2025. While the X6.3 flare is the largest of this cycle so far, it is likely that more powerful flares will occur in the future.