Impact on ozone layer The boom in rocket launches is further depleting our already-thinning ozone layer. The international appetite for exploration has never been larger. Emissions from these launches directly inject pollutants into the middle atmosphere, exacerbating harm to our already fragile ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect both human and animal life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Today, it’s recuperating from the historic harm done by long-lived pollutants like persistent chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
That said, in 2019, the world saw 97 orbital space rocket launches around the planet. By 2024, this number jumped to 258 – the highest increase in outer space operations to date. Projections suggest that this trend will continue to rise, which could pose challenges to decades-long work to heal the ozone layer.
The Ozone Layer’s Vulnerability
The ozone layer has shown signs of recovery since the global ban on CFCs through the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Even with these encouraging advances, it is still about 2% below its pre-industrial thickness. Experts estimate that full recovery of the ozone layer will not occur until around 2066, assuming current trends and policies remain in place.
This has become more complicated with the growing frequency of rocket launches. Pollutants discharged through these launches stay in the atmosphere for much longer periods than terrestrial emissions. They can linger for over 100 times longer, wreaking havoc on our atmosphere for a far longer period of time. This proposed rule creates troubling precedent for the future of the ozone layer. Emissions from rockets alone could set back its recovery by many years or even decades.
Impact of Rocket Emissions
Rocket launches spew a host of harmful pollutants into the upper atmosphere that can negatively impact ozone production. These emissions, particularly black carbon, chlorine, and alumina particles, have been shown to cause ozone depletion. “Atmospheric circulation contributes greatly to the long range dispersion of these pollutants, impacting areas thousands of miles away from where they were originally launched,” said Bordonaro.
Nearly 90 percent of all rocket launches take place in the Northern Hemisphere, where conditions are ripe to allow these dangerous substances to spread. It’s true that projections indicate that under business as usual growth scenarios, the damage is drastic. If we increase annual launches to 2,040 by 2030, the global average thickness of ozone could decrease by almost 0.3%. This decline is especially troubling in light of anticipated seasonal increases of up to 4% over Antarctica.
Future Projections and Concerns
The new anticipated path for the future of rocket launches means more, bigger and faster. Futuristic train stations, leapfrogging the west. Locally considered a long shot, industry insiders say technological advancements and increasing commercial interest will fuel this trend. At the same time, environmental scientists are calling on decision-makers to recognize and respond to the impacts that these activities can have on the ozone layer.
Even more concerning, as rocket launches increase, the effects on the ozone layer could be significant. The increased risk of UV-R exposure, resulting from ozone depletion, threatens not only human health but ecosystems across the globe. Action needed to limit emissions. Researchers call for action to mitigate environmental damage from rocket launches. To this end, they highlight the importance of integrating environmental impact into strategies for space exploration.