Rocket Launches Pose Growing Threat to Ozone Layer Recovery

Rapid growth in the global space sector is adding a new source of pollutants to the middle atmosphere, raising concerns that rocket emissions could slow the ozone layer’s recovery.

• Launches rose from 97 in 2019 to 258 in 2024; a high‑growth scenario projects about 2,040 launches per year by 2030.
• Climate‑chemistry modelling forecasts a global average ozone thinning of nearly 0.3%, with seasonal losses up to 4% over Antarctica.
• The primary ozone‑depleting agents are chlorine from solid‑fuel rockets and soot particles; only roughly 6% of launches use low‑impact cryogenic fuels.
• Re‑entry of satellites and spent stages releases metal particles and nitrogen oxides, effects not fully captured in models but likely to grow with larger constellations.
• Researchers urge emission monitoring, a shift away from chlorine‑rich and soot‑producing propellants, development of cleaner propulsion, and international regulations similar to the Montreal Protocol.

Why it matters: Delays could extend the ozone layer’s recovery beyond the expected 2066 date, increasing surface UV exposure.

Read more: https://getnews.me/rocket-launches-pose-growing-threat-to-ozone-layer-recovery/