Solar Storm 2024: Satellite operators to stay on high alert

Solar storm 2024: American scientists have recently warned of a solar storm following a powerful ‘X class solar flare’, which is likely to hit Earth.
In India, the incoming solar storm could disrupt telecommunications and satellites, said ISRO experts, stated reports.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) experts have also cautioned Indian satellite operators to take all necessary precautions, as the next few days could be crucial, reported NDTV.
In simple terms, a solar storm is an abrupt explosion of particles, energy, magnetic fields, which the Sun blasts towards the solar system.
Dr Annapurni Subramanian, Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, said that the solar flare is very similar to the one that ocurred in May 2024. As a result, some form of interferences in the magnetosphere is expected, stated a report by NDTV.
Whether the solar storm will affect India, is a matter of time, as such storms take few days to hit the earth, added Subramaniam. There are predictions that the solar storm ‘can happen, or may not happen,’ said the report.
On October 5, the US witnessed a solar storm, that caused faint northern lights in the northern part of the country.
Earlier in May, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had warned of a powerful solar storm that was brewing in outer space. It was classified as a ‘severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm’, and was observed again after a 20-year hiatus. The May storm also produced aurora displays across the Northern Hemisphere.
When solar storms dart towards the earth, it can cause a significant disruption in the planet’s magnetic field, known as a geomagnetic storm. This can lead to radio blackouts, power outages, and at the same time create auroras.
Solar storms do not cause direct harm to anyone on Earth, however, as the earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere protect human beings from the worst of these storms, stated NASA.