A rocket launched by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk, reportedly caused a temporary hole in the ionosphere surrounding Earth. The Falcon 9 rocket, known for its reusability, was launched on July 19 from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. A space physicist from Boston University, Jeff Baumgardner, studied photos from the launch and noted a faint red glow, indicating a disruption in the ionosphere.
This phenomenon is well-documented when rockets burn their engines around 200 to 300 km above Earth’s surface. The second stage engine of the Falcon 9 was burning at 286 km near the F-region peak during the July 19th launch, suggesting the possibility of creating an ionospheric ‘hole.’
The ionosphere, located at the edge of space, is filled with charged particles called ions and plays a crucial role in creating auroras during geomagnetic storms. The interaction of solar plasma with ions in the ionosphere produces the spectacular colors seen in the sky.
A similar incident involving the same rocket occurred before, during the Falcon 9’s launch carrying the FORMOSAT-5 payload on August 24, 2017. The rocket’s low weight caused it to launch vertically, resulting in shockwaves and a rupture in the plasma of the ionosphere.
