The April 1, 2026, launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission triggered three distinct ionospheric disturbances as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket ascended and performed orbital maneuvers. Researchers from Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University found that these events created temporary gaps in the atmosphere’s electron density, impacting regions across North America. The mission, which sent four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—on a 9-day trip around the moon, represents the most powerful launch in NASA’s history, producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust.
Atmospheric Disruptions During Orbital Maneuvers
The ionosphere, a region stretching from 80 to 640 kilometers above Earth’s surface, serves as the boundary between the lower atmosphere and the vacuum of space.
Approximately one hour after launch, the spacecraft performed an apogee raise maneuver at an altitude of about 115 miles (185 km). This burn triggered shock waves and large-scale disturbances that elongated 50° longitude across North America.
This represents the first report of such huge, elongated disturbances generated during a spacecraft launch.
Lin and his coauthors
Impacts on Precision Positioning Technologies
Humanity relies heavily on this orbital infrastructure, which is far more extensive than during the Apollo era.
Experts warn that such anthropogenic space weather could pose risks as reliance on high-precision guidance grows.
A Growing Trend in Spaceflight
This event follows previous observations of rocket-induced ionospheric holes. In 2017, Lin and his colleagues recorded a 559-mile (900-km) hole carved into the ionosphere when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. In September 2023, the coordinator for the University of Texas at Austin’s Dark Skies initiative, Stephen Hummel, reported a red glow across the night sky following a U.S. Space Force launch.
The study authors characterized these launches as a distinct and repeatable source of anthropogenic space weather, beyond the well-established launch-stage disturbances.
These impacts, Lin stated, will likely become much more significant.
With NASA planning the Artemis III mission for late 2027, the agency will test commercial lunar landers, including Blue Origin’s Mark 2 and SpaceX’s Human Landing System (HLS). Both landers are slated to reach orbit atop their respective companies’ rockets, the New Glenn and Starship, as the frequency of heavy-lift launches continues to rise.
Liftoff. The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon. Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars. pic.twitter.com/ENQA4RTqAc