A new study has found that rocket launches into space by commercial companies like Space X, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin can negatively impact the climate and ozone layer. It also pointed out that routine launches “may undermine progress made by the Montreal Protocol in reversing ozone depletion.”
The study was published by researchers from University College London (UCL), the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the journal ‘Earth’s Future’ on June 9, 2022. It pointed out that soot emissions that come from the rocket launches are more capable of warming the atmosphere than other sources.
Researchers believe that there is a need to bring in environmental regulations in order to reduce the climatic damage from a fast growing industry. While in the 20th century, the US and the USSR were competing with each other for the domination of spaceflight technologies, nowadays, private players are participating in the commercial space race.
Under this initiative, private players allow commoners to travel to space for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The purpose of this is to make space more accessible to those who are not astronauts, but wish to travel to space for non-scientific reasons.
The study found that gas and solid chemicals from rockets launched by private players are emitted directly into the upper atmosphere. Commercial space tourism also leads to chances of depletion of the ozone layer above the Arctic. The reason behind this is the pollution from the rocket and also the heating and debris caused by the spacecraft while returning to the earth. It also causes harm to the ozone layer, University College London (UCL) said in a press release.
“Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. What we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry.” Dr Eloise Marais, the co-author of the study said in a press release.