ISS Astronauts Shelter as Solar Storms Trigger Global Auroras
HOUSTON – International space Station (ISS) astronauts took precautionary measures on the nights of November 11 and 12 as powerful coronal mass ejections from sunspot group AR4274 unleashed widespread auroras across the Northern Hemisphere and increased radiation levels in space. While the stunning displays of the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Mexico, the same energetic particles posed a potential hazard to the crew in orbit.
The solar storm,originating from one of the most energetic sunspot groups of the current solar cycle,prompted NASA and Roscosmos to implement safety protocols.Only Russian crew members Oleg Platonov, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Alexey Zubritsky were relocated to a shielded laboratory within the ISS as a preventative measure. the USOS (united States Orbital Segment) crew – NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Jonny Kim, and Zena Cardman, along with JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui – remained in their regular crew quarters.
“The USOS crew slept in their crew quarters and the Roscosmos cosmonauts camped out in the lab as a preventative measure due to the solar storm,” NASA public affairs official Sandra Jones confirmed in an email. The entire ISS crew was also provided with a list of areas to avoid during the event.
The six astronauts comprising Expedition 73 launched to the ISS on August 1 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and are scheduled to remain in orbit for another three months.
The recent U.S. goverment shutdown had temporarily limited public dialog from american astronauts, but with the shutdown resolved, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim shared a video of auroras observed from space on September 3 – his first post since the resumption of online activity. These auroras, while visually stunning, serve as a reminder of the constant radiation surroundings in space and the importance of protective measures for astronauts.
