🚀 Space Pulse · 2026-07-05 22:00 UTC
⚡ TL;DR
An active sunspot region near the northwest limb fired an X1.3 flare on July 4 and followed up with an M5.5 today, keeping geomagnetic conditions unsettled across a two-day stretch of solar activity.
China expanded its G60 broadband constellation with a successful Long March 8A mission, and the week's only launch slots in against a busy space-weather backdrop.
🚀 LAUNCHES
LONG MARCH 8A / SPACESAIL POLAR GROUP 14
- China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation launched 20 Ku/Q/V-band LEO communications satellites for the G60 constellation on July 5 at 13:43 UTC; launch confirmed successful. [1]
- The payloads are operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with Shanghai municipal government backing, expanding the planned G60 broadband network. [1]
☀️ SPACE WEATHER
OVERVIEW: A northwest-limb active region has produced X- and M-class flares on consecutive days (July 4-5), driving sustained geomagnetic unsettledness at G1-G2 levels.
X1.3 FLARE - JULY 4
- An X1.3 flare peaked at 20:41 UTC on July 4 from location N15W75, rated R3 (Strong) on the NOAA radio-blackout scale; event ran 20:29-20:47 UTC. [2]
- A 10 cm radio burst accompanied the flare, peaking at 890 sfu at 20:41 UTC and lasting 7 minutes. [3]
- A Type II radio emission with an estimated shock velocity of 2,714 km/s was detected beginning 20:43 UTC July 4, indicating a fast CME-associated shock. [4]
M5.5 FLARE - JULY 5
- A second significant flare, classing M5.5, peaked at 17:57 UTC today from the same region (N15W87), rated R2 (Moderate). [5] [6]
- A second Type II radio emission began at 16:26 UTC July 5 with an estimated velocity of 959 km/s, suggesting an associated CME. [7]
GEOMAGNETIC CONDITIONS
- K-index reached 6 (G2 Moderate) at 16:55 UTC on July 4, with the storm persisting into multiple synoptic periods at G1 Minor levels through July 4-5. [8] [9] [10]
- A K-index 4 alert was issued at 17:59 UTC today; NOAA warns K-4 conditions are expected to continue through at least 03:00 UTC July 6.
- Earlier K-6 and K-7 warnings for July 4 were subsequently cancelled by NOAA due to erroneous end-time entries in the original bulletins.
- An elevated 2 MeV electron flux alert (exceeding 1,000 pfu on GOES-19) was also on record from June 18, reflecting a prior active period.
SITUATIONAL NOTE: With the source region now at N15W87, Earth-directed CME geometry is diminishing as the region rotates behind the limb; monitor SWPC for updated geomagnetic outlooks through July 6. [6] [7]
🔭 DISCOVERIES
SPIE ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES AND INSTRUMENTATION 2026
- NASA notes the SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation conference is running July 5-10 in Copenhagen, Denmark, expected to feature exoplanet instrumentation sessions relevant to NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program.
📄 RESEARCH
No arXiv astro-ph papers were included in today's official source data. Check arxiv.org/list/astro-ph/new for the latest preprints.
📎 Sources
- Long March 8A | SpaceSail Polar Group #14 — Launch Library 2
- Space Weather Message Code: SUMX01 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: SUM10R — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTTP2 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTXMF — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: SUMXM5 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTTP2 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTK06 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTK05 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
- Space Weather Message Code: ALTK05 — NOAA SWPC Alerts
Curated from official sources — NASA/ESA/JAXA/ESO/NOAA/arXiv/Launch Library. Informational only.
Serial 20260705-22-v18 · 2026-07-05 22:00 UTC · pulse.uzylab.com