GPS Jamming Worse Than Expected, LEO Satellites Affected
An experimental satellite has mapped the scale of GPS jamming across Europe and the Middle East from space for the first time. The data, collected by Xona Space Systems' Pulsar-0 satellite orbiting 310 miles (500 km) above Earth, shows that GPS signal strength in the hardest-hit areas drops from the normal 40 decibels to as little as 10 decibels — a 75% reduction. This is not just a ground-level problem; it affects satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that rely on GPS for positioning, timing, and collision avoidance.
"When we fly over North America, for example, we see a beautiful signal all the time," said Kaz Gunning, Xona's co-founder. "But as soon as we started doing any operations above Europe, we noticed that there was really something going on there. We thought we were going to see some jamming, but it's quite a bit more than we expected."
The measurements indicate that GPS signal disruption stretches from France in the west to the borders of Pakistan in the east. The source of the interference is likely deliberate jamming and spoofing, which have become widespread in conflict zones. Russian jammers, for instance, routinely disrupt GNSS signals along Russia's western borders, affecting tens of thousands of flights each month. Similarly, warring parties in the Middle East use jamming to deflect drones and hide ship positions.
Impact on LEO Satellite Operations
Pulsar-0 carries a GPS receiver to test interoperability with Xona's upcoming Pulsar navigation constellation. The receiver revealed that LEO satellites are not immune to ground-based jammers. "You lose the GPS capability as soon as you pass over these regions," said Gunning. "That may be a problem for imaging satellites that are trying to position themselves to take images of a certain region. You can't do altitude determination, you can't do the positioning without the GPS signal. You can't even accurately point at your telecommand antenna on the ground."
Satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink also depend on GPS for collision avoidance. If GPS is compromised, the risk of orbital collisions increases. The findings underscore that GPS is a single point of failure for many space-based systems.
Xona's Solution: Stronger Signals from LEO
Xona Space Systems is building the Pulsar constellation — a network of 300 LEO satellites that will broadcast positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) signals 100 times stronger than those from traditional GNSS satellites like GPS, Galileo, or Beidou. Traditional GNSS satellites orbit at altitudes above 12,000 miles (19,000 km), making their signals weak and easy to jam. By placing Pulsar satellites much closer to Earth, Xona aims to make jamming far less effective.
"The effect of the jamming is going to be reduced to a smaller radius," said Gunning. "The degradation area will go down, and the full lock-out radius will also go down." According to Xona, existing jammers would only affect about 5% of the area they can currently disrupt when facing Pulsar's signals.
Deployment Timeline and Funding
Xona plans to launch a batch of six satellites in October 2025, followed by rapid production scaling. The company raised $170 million in a Series C funding round in March 2025. Initial service is expected for timekeeping customers by the end of 2025 with intermittent coverage, and basic service delivery is targeted for early 2027.
"Pulsar's capability will increase with every subsequent launch, unlocking new advantages for new customer segments as our constellation fills out," said Max Eunice, Xona's head of communications.
Beyond Jamming: Solar Storms Also Threaten GNSS
The article also notes that natural phenomena like solar storms can disrupt GNSS signals. The May 2024 Gannon superstorm distorted signals so much that precision farming equipment in parts of the U.S. couldn't operate for days. This highlights the need for resilient PNT alternatives beyond just anti-jamming.
What This Means for Developers
If you build applications that rely on GPS for geolocation, timing, or synchronization — especially in regions with active jamming — you should consider fallback mechanisms. For satellite operators, this data is a wake-up call: your GPS receivers are vulnerable even in LEO. Xona's Pulsar constellation promises a more robust alternative, but until it's operational (target 2027), you'll need to design for intermittent GPS loss.
Next Steps
Keep an eye on Xona's October 2025 launch. If you're in the satellite or timekeeping industry, consider reaching out to Xona for early access. For now, test your systems with simulated GPS degradation to see how they hold up.
