Indian satellites safe from solar flare: ISRO
Friday, October 31 2003 20:07 Hrs (IST)
Bangalore: The biggest recorded solar flare which hit Earth's magnetic field in the last two days have not
affected any of India's communication satellites, a top Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
official said today (Oct 31).
"The solar flares are a natural phenomenon. So far none of our satellites are affected by it. We are
keeping a watch," ISRO satellite communications programme office director A Bhaskaranarayana said
over phone from Hassan, where ISRO's Master Control Facility to monitor satellites is located.
India has nine operational satellites in the high earth orbit geo-stationary region, which are safe and in
good health.
While the low earth orbit satellites are relatively safer, it is the high-altitude geo-stationary satellites,
which are threatened when solar flares hurtle towards the earth, ISRO officials said.
Solar flares do not harm human beings, but disrupt power grids and communication satellites, as the
satellite systems are located at an altitude of 36,000 km above the earth.
PTI
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