Soot from rocket launches is polluting Earth's upper atmosphere
8 hours ago
- #rocket emissions
- #climate impact
- #space pollution
- Black carbon particles from rocket launches remain in the upper atmosphere longer than ground-based soot, potentially impacting Earth's climate.
- A study led by UCL researchers found that soot from megaconstellations of satellites is 540 times more effective at altering climate than ground-based emissions.
- Rocket launches have increased dramatically since 2019, driven largely by SpaceX's Falcon 9 and China's record attempts, with 2025 seeing over 329 launches.
- The space industry's pollution acts as an unregulated geoengineering experiment, with soot absorbing sunlight and causing a minimal cooling effect, but posing serious unintended consequences.
- Researchers predict that by 2029, the space industry will release about 870 tonnes of soot annually, exceeding the UK's entire passenger car fleet emissions of 728 tonnes.
- Current predictions likely underestimate future impacts, emphasizing the urgency to understand and regulate the environmental effects of satellite megaconstellations.
- Scientists highlight large uncertainties in emission estimates and atmospheric impacts, calling for more research and regulation of space industry pollution.
- UCL researchers are developing an emissions tracker and using satellite imagery to detect and quantify rocket launch emissions to better visualize their impact.