A powerful solar storm that hit the Earth on February 27, 2023, delayed the launch of a Starlink mission by SpaceX and temporarily disrupted the operations of several Canadian oil rigs. The storm, classified by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a strong G3 storm, was a result of a combination of factors, including fast solar wind streams and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The storm triggered a range of aurora displays all over North America and Europe, but it also had significant consequences for companies that rely on GPS signals. The event is a stark reminder of the impact that space weather can have on infrastructure and technology on Earth.
The Power of Solar Storms
Solar storms can have serious implications for infrastructure and technology on Earth, particularly for companies that rely on GPS signals. On February 27, 2023, a powerful solar storm hit the Earth, disrupting the launch of a Starlink mission by SpaceX and temporarily shutting down the operations of several Canadian oil rigs. This article examines the causes and consequences of the solar storm and explores its broader implications for the Earth's infrastructure and technology.
The Impact of the Solar Storm on SpaceX
SpaceX eventually launched its Starlink satellites at 6:13 p.m. ET (2313 GMT) on Monday after the geomagnetic storm subsided. The delay occurred because the storm caused the atmosphere to swell, increasing the density of gases at higher altitudes and causing more drag on the spacecraft. Since SpaceX launches its Starlink craft into very low altitudes and then uses the satellite's onboard propulsion to raise their orbit, this additional drag proved too much for the ill-fated spacecraft.
Since a mishap in February last year, where the company lost a batch of 40 satellites after launching them into a relatively mild geomagnetic storm, SpaceX has been paying greater attention to space weather forecasts. It is now also providing data from Starlink's onboard sensors to help NOAA improve its space weather forecasting models.
The Impact of the Solar Storm on Canadian Oil Rigs
Canadian exploration geologist Chris Mason reported on Facebook that a drilling rig in Saskatchewan had to temporarily shut down operations due to the solar storm. "The electronics in the tool that tells us which direction and inclination the drill bit is going was receiving so much interference from the storm that its readings were unreliable." Mason added that multiple rigs in the area were affected.
The rigs were affected by the disruption of GPS signals, which they use for precise navigation. "The ongoing strong #solarstorm is impacting #GPS and even has caused the temporary suspension of drilling platforms due to the unreliability of even precision GPS signals and due to the GICs (geomagnetically induced currents in the ground)," said U.S. solar physicist and space weather expert Tamitha Skov in a tweet.
Aurora Displays
The solar storm spawned a feast of aurora displays all over North America and Europe, with sightings reported from South Dakota, Wisconsin, and even California. Dedicated aurora chasers also managed to snap the arrival of the southern polar lights over Australia's westernmost big city, Perth.
The Broader Implications of the Solar Storm
Auroras as well as disruptions such as those experienced by SpaceX and the oil companies in Canada are likely going to become more regular in the next two years as the solar cycle moves towards its maximum. The current solar cycle, the 25th since record-keeping began, is also shaping up to be much stronger than what NOAA and NASA originally predicted. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency reported that some of its low-orbiting satellites were losing altitude due to the swelled-up atmosphere.
The Monday storm belonged to the third-strongest category, according to NOAA's five-grade classification system, the G3 solar storm that hit Earth on February 27, 2023, led to multiple disruptions, including the temporary suspension of drilling platforms in Canada and the delayed SpaceX Starlink launch from Florida. This event served as a reminder of the potential risks of space weather to critical infrastructure and satellite operations.
The Impact of the Solar Storm
The G3 storm that caused the delay in the SpaceX Starlink launch and the disruption of GPS signals for oil rigs in Canada was the result of a combination of factors. Streams of fast solar wind had been flowing toward Earth from a coronal hole, which is an opening in the sun's magnetic field. Two coronal mass ejections (CMEs), enormous bursts of solar plasma, emerged from an active region over the weekend and reached our planet in quick succession on Sunday and Monday (Feb. 26 and 27).
The powerful solar storm not only disrupted the operation of oil rigs in Canada but also caused widespread aurora displays all over North America and Europe. Sightings were reported from South Dakota, Wisconsin, California, and even Australia's westernmost big city, Perth. These natural phenomena are beautiful, but they also indicate the presence of dangerous high-energy particles that can cause significant harm to satellites and other critical infrastructure.
SpaceX's Response to the Solar Storm
After losing a batch of 40 satellites during a relatively mild geomagnetic storm in February last year, SpaceX has been cooperating with NOAA to pay closer attention to space weather forecasts and provide data from Starlink's onboard sensors to help improve space weather forecasting models.
The delay in the launch of Starlink internet spacecraft was a result of the additional drag caused by the ill-fated spacecraft's atmosphere's swelling. SpaceX launches Starlink craft into very low altitudes and then uses the satellite's onboard propulsion to raise their orbit, and additional drag proved too much for the spacecraft.
While SpaceX eventually launched the first batch of 21 second-generation Starlink internet spacecraft after the subsiding of the G3 storm, the incident highlighted the need for the space industry to pay close attention to space weather forecasts and take proactive measures to mitigate the risks.
Risk of More Frequent Solar Storms
Auroras, GPS signal disruptions, and other impacts such as those experienced by SpaceX and the oil companies in Canada are likely to become more regular in the next two years as the solar cycle moves towards its maximum. The current solar cycle, the 25th since record-keeping began, is also shaping up to be much stronger than what NOAA and NASA originally predicted.
In such powerful storms, spacecraft operators might completely lose track of their satellites as the swelled-up atmosphere would affect the satellite's trajectory. Experts worry that the environment near Earth, with fast-growing numbers of operational satellites and fragments of space debris, could become extremely vulnerable in a G5 storm. The loss of control over functioning satellites and the lack of awareness of space debris's whereabouts could lead to collisions and trigger further growth of the amount of debris that clutters near-Earth space.
Aurora from Death Valley on 2/27/23. Here is the panoramic - 4 images stitched in Ps. #aurora #deathvalley #spaceweather pic.twitter.com/ohuCC5bTMM
— Shari (@3rdRockMilkWay) February 28, 2023
The ongoing strong #solarstorm is impacting #GPS and even has caused the temporary suspension of drilling platforms due to the unreliability of even precision GPS signals and due to the GICs (geomagnetically induced currents in the ground). Events like https://t.co/nqQMYIpFxx… https://t.co/Re7Km9dT1b pic.twitter.com/ezy7tKHug8
— Dr. Tamitha Skov (@TamithaSkov) February 27, 2023
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