Fujitsu and Tokai National Higher Education and Research System Unveil AI for Advanced Space Weather Prediction

Groundbreaking AI for Space Weather Forecasting

Fujitsu Limited and the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (THERS), a consortium that includes Nagoya University and Gifu University, announced on January 28, 2026, the successful development of a novel artificial intelligence technology designed to predict solar radiation events and their potential impacts. This advancement marks a significant step in enhancing space weather forecasting capabilities, crucial for both space exploration and Earth-based infrastructure.

The new technology integrates probability estimation with the identification of past similar events, leveraging Fujitsu's 'Wide Learning' explainable AI, which is a component of the Fujitsu Kozuchi XAI service. Unlike traditional empirical methods that struggle with the complexity of solar radiation events, this AI extracts intricate causal relationships and presents them in an explainable manner. It also provides insights into historical events to help understand potential impacts and necessary countermeasures.

Protecting Astronauts and Infrastructure

The primary motivation behind this development is to mitigate the risks posed by solar energetic particles (SEPs), a type of cosmic radiation that can be lethal to humans in space and disrupt technological systems. The AI aims to establish an environment for promptly determining future solar radiation risks, facilitating optimal operational decisions for activities such as:

• Extravehicular operations by astronauts
• Lunar base planning
• Crewed transport for lunar and Martian missions

Beyond space missions, the technology is intended to protect vulnerable societal infrastructure on Earth, including power grids, satellite communications, GPS, and polar flights, from the adverse effects of space weather.

Collaborative Research and Future Applications

This development is the culmination of extensive collaboration. Fujitsu and THERS signed a comprehensive agreement on February 24, 2023, to advance space weather forecasting. The Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE) at Nagoya University, known for its expertise in solar flare prediction and satellite data management, has been a key partner.

Further enhancing these efforts, Fujitsu and THERS, in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), commenced joint research on February 1, 2025. This research, part of JAXA's 'Moon to Mars Innovation' program, focuses on developing an explainable AI-based prediction model for solar energetic particle events specifically for Moon and Martian exploration, with the project slated to run until March 31, 2026. Results from earlier joint research were presented at the 2024 Annual Spring Meeting of the Astronomical Society of Japan on March 11, 2024.

The initiative aligns with international efforts like the Artemis Project, which aims for human lunar landings and eventual Martian exploration, underscoring the critical need for accurate space weather prediction to ensure astronaut safety. Researchers have identified that factors such as the soft X-ray intensity and duration of flares are crucial in generating SEP events, and that the first flare in sunspot regions with low previous activity is a significant indicator for SEP occurrences.