A recent study has revealed that the explosion of SpaceX’s Starship rocket on November 18 caused a temporary hole in Earth’s ionosphere. The rocket, which exploded twice during its ascent from Boca Chica, Texas, generated powerful shock waves that disrupted the ionosphere—a region of the upper atmosphere filled with charged particles.
Published in *Geophysical Research Letters*, the study found that the explosion temporarily neutralized the charge of nearby particles, creating a hole that spanned up to 1,200 miles. This is the first recorded instance of a non-chemical ionospheric hole formed by a man-made explosion.
Fortunately, the hole closed within 30 to 40 minutes. Researchers were surprised by the extent of the disturbance, prompting further investigation into the atmospheric processes involved. The findings provide new insights into how the ionosphere responds to both natural and human-made disruptions.
