Artemis II launch caused three large ionosphere disturbances

NASA’s Artemis II mission caused three large disturbances in the ionosphere, according to research that has yet to be published in Geophysical Research Letters. Each disturbance measured more than 5,000 kilometers (3,106 miles) across, with all three occurring above North America.

The ionosphere is an electrically charged layer of the upper atmosphere that affects radio waves, including signals used by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites and the Global Positioning System (GPS). The researchers linked the disturbances to the rocket’s initial launch and later firings of its upper-stage engines in the upper atmosphere.

The team described the repeated disturbances over the same region as extremely rare. The effects were more powerful than those recorded from previous rocket launches, including SpaceX launches, the source report says. The research could help scientists study human-made “space weather” and its potential effects on ground infrastructure.

The study did not measure disruption to GNSS or GPS systems. Researcher Charles Lin of National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan told Space.com that a positioning error of a couple of meters could affect an autonomous car’s lane choice and drone positioning. The researchers plan to investigate whether the disturbances caused navigation errors and how long any errors lasted. The source report identifies the mission as taking place in April 2026 and says it was the first time humans had been in lunar space since 1972.