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NASA's Artemis II Launch Creates Continent-Sized Ionospheric Disturbances, Potentially Affecting GPS Accuracy

NASA's Artemis II Launch Creates Continent-Sized Ionospheric Disturbances, Potentially Affecting GPS Accuracy

NASA's Artemis II mission, which sent four astronauts around the Moon, caused significant temporary disturbances in Earth's ionosphere. A new study, led by scientists at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, indicates that the rocket temporarily stripped electrons from the upper atmosphere, creating two disturbances each stretching approximately 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) across the Americas. These effects were up to 10 times more intense than those observed from SpaceX Starship test flights. The first disturbance occurred during the Space Launch System core stage's ascent, while the second, more prominent one, happened over an hour after liftoff when the upper stage fired its engine twice directly within the ionosphere. This exhaust chemically reacted with the charged gas, depleting electrons over a wide area. The research utilized high-precision ground-based GPS receivers, typically used for tracking tectonic plate motion, to map these electron changes.

Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman takes leadership role at JPL

Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman takes leadership role at JPL

Reid Wiseman, who announced he would transition to an emeritus role at NASA, will begin his job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the end of November.

Artemis II moon launch was so powerful it punched a hole in atmosphere

Artemis II moon launch was so powerful it punched a hole in atmosphere

A study suggests the launch of NASA's Space Launch System rocket was so strong, it tore a hole in Earth's atmosphere during the Artemis II mission.

Want to fly to the moon? NASA is looking for new astronauts to help grow its Artemis program

Want to fly to the moon? NASA is looking for new astronauts to help grow its Artemis program

Want to fly to the moon and help build a permanent lunar base

Artemis II Rocket Launch Created 5,000-Kilometer Ionospheric Disturbances, Study Finds

Artemis II Rocket Launch Created 5,000-Kilometer Ionospheric Disturbances, Study Finds

A recent study from Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University indicates that the Artemis II rocket launch on April 1 generated three ionospheric disturbances, each spanning approximately 5,000 kilometers across North America. These disturbances, described as resembling giant contrails, were strong enough to potentially cause GPS positioning errors of several meters. Researchers utilized ground-based GPS receivers to track shifts in free-electron concentrations as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket ascended. The study, published as a preprint in Geophysical Research Letters, found that two upper-stage burns, occurring over an hour after liftoff at an altitude of about 185 kilometers, were primarily responsible for the most significant effects. While the study identified potential GPS disruptions, no confirmed GPS failures, navigation disruptions, accidents, or other real-world effects have been reported in connection with the launch.

NASA Accelerates Artemis Program with New Lunar Lander and Spacesuit Plans

NASA Accelerates Artemis Program with New Lunar Lander and Spacesuit Plans

NASA announced accelerated plans for its Artemis program, aiming to return Americans to the lunar surface by 2028. This includes advancing the Artemis III test flight to 2027 and the Artemis IV Moon landing mission to 2028. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted significant progress in collaboration with industry partners to test critical capabilities and reduce risks. For Artemis III, four astronauts will fly aboard the Orion spacecraft, launched by NASA’s SLS rocket, for a 14-day Earth orbit mission to test rendezvous, docking, and operations with lunar lander test vehicles from SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA also revealed plans with Axiom Space to develop a lighter 'Sortie suit' for initial moonwalks, which is roughly half the weight of Axiom’s primary suit and designed to expedite early surface missions.

Blue Origin Develops GS3 Third Stage for New Glenn Rocket, Expanding Lunar and Deep Space Capabilities

Blue Origin Develops GS3 Third Stage for New Glenn Rocket, Expanding Lunar and Deep Space Capabilities

Blue Origin has announced the development of the GS3 third stage for its New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle. This new stage is designed to enhance the rocket's capabilities, allowing for direct deployment of satellite constellations into geostationary orbit and facilitating heavy scientific and research missions to the Moon and deep space, as reported by Space.com. The GS3 will be powered by a single BE-7 engine, which was originally developed by Blue Origin for its Blue Moon spacecraft. The Blue Moon lander has been selected by NASA as one of two private spacecraft for crewed lunar landings under the Artemis program, with SpaceX's Starship being the other. While Blue Moon missions themselves will not require the GS3, this third stage will support extended operations near the Moon by enabling the delivery of significant cargo mass directly onto a lunar transfer trajectory. This capability is expected to reduce flight time and conserve more propellant for orbital operations. An unnamed government customer ...

NASA's 101st ISS spacewalk aims to boost station power by 30%

NASA's 101st ISS spacewalk aims to boost station power by 30%

Two astronauts who just embarked on a spacewalk a week ago are due to once again exit the International Space Station. How to watch NASA's coverage.

Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station

Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station

A Pakistani astronaut will board China’s Shenzhou 24 spacecraft as the first foreign national on Beijing’s space station

Astronauts Complete Installation of Final Solar Array on International Space Station

Astronauts Complete Installation of Final Solar Array on International Space Station

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk successfully installed the eighth and final International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) during a seven-hour spacewalk. This mission marked the 101st U.S. spacewalk. The installation concludes a power-generation upgrade that commenced in 2021 and involved 18 spacewalks. These new compact deployable solar arrays are designed to supplement the ISS's original power system, addressing the increasing electrical demands from scientific experiments, life-support systems, and other onboard technology. The upgrade boosts the ISS's power-generation capacity from 160 kilowatts to 215 kilowatts. The spacewalk on November 5, 2026, followed an earlier spacewalk on October 29, 2026, where Kutryk and Menon also worked on installing a new roll-out solar array and performed preparatory tasks for the subsequent spacewalk.

Artemis II Launch Causes Significant Ionospheric Disturbances Across North America, Affecting GPS Signals

Artemis II Launch Causes Significant Ionospheric Disturbances Across North America, Affecting GPS Signals

The recent Artemis II launch, which sent four astronauts around the Moon, caused measurable disturbances in the Earth's ionosphere, extending approximately 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) across North America. Researchers, utilizing existing ground-based GPS stations, detected changes in electron concentrations that were equivalent to positioning errors of several meters. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket produced two distinct disturbances: one from its 212-foot (65-meter) core stage and a more prominent one from two later upper-stage thruster burns. This effect was reported to be up to 10 times more intense than disturbances observed after SpaceX Starship test launches, despite Starship having roughly twice the liftoff thrust of the SLS. The term 'hole' in the atmosphere, used in some headlines, refers to temporary regions of depleted electrons, which eventually refill, rather than a permanent breach or broad GPS outage.

NASA Accelerates Artemis Moon Missions, Targets 2027 Test Flight and 2028 Lunar Landing

NASA Accelerates Artemis Moon Missions, Targets 2027 Test Flight and 2028 Lunar Landing

NASA has announced an accelerated strategy for its Artemis program, aiming for an Artemis III test flight in 2027 and a crewed lunar landing with Artemis IV in 2028. This revised timeline, detailed in a November 4 update, emphasizes the critical role of integration among separately built vehicles, flight software, ground teams, and equipment. The Artemis III mission is planned as a 14-day Earth-orbit mission involving four astronauts, serving as an integration test for rendezvous, docking, habitation, and operational procedures before a lunar landing attempt. The agency is pursuing lunar landers from both SpaceX and Blue Origin, with their differing approaches to lunar transport. The commercial aerospace industry is closely watching how this ambitious exploration transitions into a repeatable service, requiring hardware to move from development to dependable production and individual demonstrations to become scheduled operations.