NASA issues big warning, claims massive solar storm is heading our way, could disrupt power grids, cause blackouts and impact...

Recent activity on the Sun has caught the attention of scientists around the world. A powerful series of solar flares, including several from the highest “X-class” category, has raised concerns about Earth’s readiness for a major space weather event. These intense bursts of solar energy have come from an unusually active sunspot called AR4087, which is now directly facing Earth. The solar flare sequence began on May 13, 2024, with an X1.2-class flare at 11:38 AM. Just a day later, a much stronger X2.7-class flare followed, disrupting radio signals across North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. These blackouts showed how vulnerable global communication systems are to solar storms.

In response to the growing threat, a major emergency drill was held earlier in May. On May 8, FEMA led a large-scale "Space Weather Tabletop Exercise" in Denver, Colorado. The event brought together military units like the 140th Wing and 233d Space Group of the US Air National Guard, along with agencies like NOAA and the Department of Homeland Security.

The drill imagined a massive solar storm in January 2028, sparked by a "coronal mass ejection" — a large burst of solar material and magnetic energy. The worst-case scenario during the simulation was a “solar superstorm” that knocked out large parts of the US power grid, caused widespread internet outages, halted rail and pipeline systems, and triggered major fuel shortages. Parts of the East Coast were left in the dark for days. The drill also factored in the challenge of managing a Moon mission at the same time.

The exercise revealed some troubling gaps. Many agencies struggled to understand how to respond with only 30 minutes of warning — the typical lead time for a solar storm. Others found it hard to turn scientific data into real-time actions. There were also shortages in trained experts and a need for clearer public communication.

In response, the Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) task force made several key recommendations: better monitoring systems, stronger cooperation between agencies, public education, and more frequent emergency drills.

“Being ready for space weather is not optional,” SWORM said. “A major event could disrupt our power, internet, and transportation — and put national security at risk.”