June 2026: A recent paper from the RNL found Russian satellites responsible for seconds-long GPS outages across Europe since 2019. Corroborated by research at Spanish company GMV and confirmed by U.S. Air Force officials, the RNL’s Dr. Todd Humphreys and RNL alumnus Dr. Zach Clements held the Russian EKS constellation responsible.
Though these fleeting bursts of interference haven’t caused major disruptions, they are among the earliest known cases of GPS interference from space. On Earth’s surface, such interference would be limited to a small radius. Malicious jamming from space, however, could escalate its effects to an entire continent.
Regardless of who is responsible, the RNL’s Dr. Todd Humphreys said that these emissions should be “a wake up call for all of us.” For a detailed discussion of the interference, read more here.
