How Artemis II Ripped a Huge Atmosphere Hole

4 min read

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis II launch tore a huge hole in Earth’s upper air, a new study says, and it spread 3,100 miles.

Key Points

The disturbance was larger than any seen from earlier rocket launches, scientists found.
It changed the upper atmosphere enough to cause Global Positioning System (GPS) errors of several meters.
The effects were short-lived, but they could matter more as Moon missions increase.

What the Artemis II Study Found

Researchers from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan studied GPS data from ground stations across the United States. These stations normally track how the ground moves.

They found two large disturbances in the ionosphere, the electrically charged top layer of the atmosphere. Each one stretched about 3,100 miles, or 5,000 kilometers, from east to west, Space.com reported.

The effect was up to ten times stronger than disturbances from SpaceX Starship test flights. That surprised experts, because Starship produces about twice as much thrust at liftoff.

Good to know. The ionosphere sits roughly 50 to 600 miles above Earth and reflects some radio signals back to the ground.

How a Rocket Can Punch a Hole in the Sky

The Artemis II mission launched on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It sent four astronauts on a trip around the Moon.

As the rocket raced upward faster than sound, it created a shock wave in the thin, high air. That shock wave pushed and thinned the charged particles in the ionosphere.

The first disturbance came from the rocket’s core stage. The second and bigger one came from the upper stage. It fired its engine about 115 miles up, more than an hour after launch.

3,100 milesWidth of each disturbance the Artemis II launch caused in the ionosphere, according to Space.com.

Why GPS Was Affected

GPS signals travel from satellites through the ionosphere to receivers on the ground. When the ionosphere changes suddenly, those signals can bend or slow down slightly.

The study found changes equal to positioning errors of several meters. Most people would never notice that while driving with a phone map. A few meters is about the width of one road lane.

However, self-driving cars and drones need much more precise locations. Co-author Charles Lin said such an error is “enough to cause an autonomous car to change lanes.”

You can learn more about how this layer works from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) space weather center.

Would you trust a self-driving car that uses GPS?

Yes
Only with a human ready to take over
No

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How It Compares With Other Events

Event	Effect on the ionosphere
Artemis II launch	Strongest rocket effect recorded, 3,100 miles wide
SpaceX Starship tests	Up to ten times weaker than Artemis II
Strong solar storms	Can disrupt GPS for days

Solar storms still cause far bigger problems. They can affect GPS for days, while the rocket effects faded much faster.

What Comes Next

The team shared the research as a preprint for the journal Geophysical Research Letters. A preprint has not yet finished full peer review.

Still, the findings point to a new challenge. More launches to the Moon and Mars could create more of these short space weather events.

Engineers who build navigation systems may need to plan for them. Airlines, farmers and delivery drones all rely on exact positions every day. Official GPS information is available at GPS.gov, run by the United States government.

Try this today. Check the NOAA space weather site before a long trip or outdoor event. It shows when solar storms may affect GPS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the Artemis II launch damage the atmosphere?

It caused a short-lived disturbance in the upper atmosphere. The study did not report lasting damage.

Was my phone GPS affected by Artemis II?

Most phone users would not have noticed. The errors were a few meters and did not last long.

When did Artemis II launch?

Artemis II launched on April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For more science and tech news, read about Apple’s November 2026 news and ways to save money on holiday travel.

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