NASA's Artemis 2 launch created atmospheric disturbances detected by GPS network
The launch of NASA's Artemis 2 crewed Moon mission generated ripples in Earth's upper atmosphere that spread across roughly 3,100 miles. GPS receivers on the ground picked up three distinct wave-like disturbances tied to the rocket's ascent through the ionosphere.
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Large rocket launches can perturb the ionosphere in ways that researchers are still working to characterize, and tracking these effects with existing GPS infrastructure offers a low-cost way to study them. Better understanding of such disturbances could matter for GPS accuracy and communications systems that rely on a stable ionosphere, especially as launch frequency increases.
- Artemis 2's launch produced atmospheric ripples detectable up to about 3,100 miles away
- GPS receiver networks were used to observe three separate wave disturbances from the launch
- The findings add to research on how rocket launches affect the upper atmosphere and ionosphere
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See Garmin eTrex 22x GPS Receiver on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: gizmodo.com, 2026-11-06
Published there as: “Artemis 2 Blew a 3,100-Mile Hole in the Sky. GPS Receivers Noticed”
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