By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — January 28, 2026

A Reminder That Space Weather Is Real

Solar activity is often treated as a scientific curiosity until it is not. This week, European space agencies confirmed heightened monitoring of a strong solar event, including flare activity and associated particle emissions capable of affecting satellites, communications, and power systems on Earth.

These events do not respect borders. When the Sun acts up, the impacts are global.

What Is Being Monitored

The European Space Agency is tracking elevated solar activity through its space weather coordination systems. Such monitoring focuses on radiation levels, geomagnetic disturbances, and potential effects on satellite operations.

For regions across Asia, this matters because satellite navigation, weather forecasting, aviation routing, and undersea cable timing all depend on stable space-based systems.

Why Asia Should Pay Attention

Modern economies rely heavily on satellites for daily operations. Even short disruptions can affect GPS accuracy, airline communications, and data relay. Power grids at certain latitudes can also experience stress during strong geomagnetic events.

The Philippines and its neighbors are not immune. Increased digital dependence means resilience planning now extends beyond Earth’s surface.

Coordination Over Alarm

Space agencies are careful not to overstate risks. Most solar events pass with limited disruption. The value lies in monitoring, early warning, and coordination with infrastructure operators so that mitigation steps can be taken when needed.

Preparedness, not panic, is the objective.

A Quiet but Critical System

Space weather monitoring rarely makes headlines, but it underpins modern life. Europe’s continued investment in observation and data-sharing helps ensure that when the Sun becomes unpredictable, societies are not caught off guard.

This is one of those systems that only gets noticed when it fails — and that is precisely why it must not.

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APA Citations
European Space Agency. (2025). Space weather monitoring and response. https://www.esa.int
International Space Environment Service. (2024). Global space weather assessment. https://www.spaceweather.org
Reuters. (2026). European agencies monitor heightened solar activity.

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