NASA launches SURYA AI Model

Why in the News?

• NASA has launched the Surya Heliophysics Foundational Model, an AI-powered solar model built with IBM and partners.
• Trained on 9 years of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
• Aim: To improve solar flare and space weather forecasting, providing early warnings for satellite operators, power grids, aviation, and human spaceflight.

About Surya Model

• Type: Artificial Intelligence (AI) model.
• Function:
  • Analyzes massive solar datasets.
  • Forecasts solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and ultraviolet output of the Sun.
  • Predicts space weather impacts on Earth’s ionosphere, communication systems, and satellites.
• Applications:
  • Early warnings to satellite operators.
  • Predicting GPS disruptions.
  • Protecting aviation & astronaut safety (Moon/Mars missions).
  • Shielding power grids from geomagnetically induced currents.

Solar Storm Impacts

• Satellites: Signal loss, communication disruptions.
• Power grids: Overloaded transformers, possible blackouts.
• Aviation: Radio/nav disruptions, radiation exposure at high altitudes.
• Spaceflight: Astronaut radiation hazard during solar particle events.

(Source: NASA)