Solar storms are a national security threat: Why NASA warns the next threat could come from the sun
While
solar storms
tend to grab public headlines with stunning auroras and fleeting technology glitches, scientists and security analysts are ringing an underlying alarm.
NASA
sounded an uncommon warning after a major solar storm erupted on its way to Earth, prompting fears of disruptions to power grids, satellites, and communications networks worldwide.This occurrence can also present a resplendent upside: an aurora sighting of uncommon occurrence seen in areas far outside of its typical reach.
A threat to strategic stability
Solar storms on the surface could look like natural wonders. But beneath their splendor is a dangerous force threatening to blow up military activities and locking nations in communication darkness. NASA and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) issued an alert that the Earth is headed into the most active part of
Solar Cycle 25
, set to peak between 2024 and 2026.
How will it go during this time?
During this time, the possibility of coronal mass ejections, the huge bursts of solar plasma and magnetic fields, becomes very high. If it impacts directly on the Earth, the consequence may be a devastating geomagnetic storm powerful enough to disrupt the GPS system, power grid, and
military communications
.
What role does NASA play in
space weather
defense?
NASA operates several satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Parker Solar Probe. These special spacecraft help forecast space weather events, giving defense systems and utility providers crucial hours of warning. Satellite-based technologies are greatly relied on by contemporary defense systems and warfare for surveillance, targeting, navigation, and positioning. In addition to this, nuclear command and control systems are increasingly a source of concern where they greatly depend on high-frequency radio waves.
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Will this become an international security issue?
This is not particularly an American issue. A number of other space agencies, Russia and China among them, are indeed exploring space weather defense measures.In contrast to climate change or pandemics, there is no international treaty or regulatory framework for addressing large-scale space weather events.
Added to this are the geopolitical risks. A solar storm-induced communications blackout might be misunderstood as a cyberattack or hostile act, triggering unintended escalation between competing powers.
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