The Climate and Ozone Impacts of Black Carbon Emissions From Global Rocket Launches

Maloney, C.; Portmann, R. W.; Ross, M. N.; Rosenlof, Karen H.

doi:10.1029/2021jd036373

Cited by 21 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Based on current trends and previous evaluations, carbon emission concerns are not an issue, as confirmed by several reports [93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103] and the impact assessments from various authorities [92,104]. However, if space activities grow significantly, it is possible that an indirect impact could come from regulations by local authorities, sometimes pushed by environmental groups or other entities, particularly in case of new commercial spaceports located relatively near to inhabited areas or natural habitats.…”

Section: Preliminary Assessmentsupporting

confidence: 52%

“…In any case, the interaction of rocket emissions with the atmosphere is still a very complex and not well understood topic, with models and predictions giving widely uncertain and sometimes contradictory results [93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103]. In particular, as will be more evident in the following, radiation forcing and other effects produced by soot emissions are the critical aspects that needs to be better interpreted and quantified when evaluating the impact of hybrids compared to liquid technology.…”

Section: Preliminary Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Review of Alternative Sustainable Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Barato

2023

Aerospace

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Hybrid rockets using specific oxidizer–fuel combinations are considered a green alternative to current propulsion systems, as they do not release very toxic or polluting exhausts, but only much less harmful substances such as carbon monoxide/dioxide and soot. However, in a long-term vision where space access and rocket transportation become a daily routine all around the world, the simple use of current green propellants could begin to become insufficient if the rest of the industry already follows much stricter rules, which are expected to tighten significantly in the future, thereby making emissions from rocket flights no more negligible. In this paper, the possible use of alternative sustainable solid fuels for hybrid rockets that are not derived from fossil fuels and are ideally carbon neutral is investigated and discussed based on the available data in the hybrid literature and on the literature related to renewable fuels in general. Even if this topic is apparently far away from the current necessities, as hybrid propulsion is not yet operational, it is paramount to consider a long-term vision and associated research efforts to make sure that the potential hybrid propulsion introduction to the commercial market is more than a simple flash in the pan, but offers a solid opportunity.

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Section: Preliminary Assessmentsupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: Preliminary Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Alternative Sustainable Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Barato

2023

Aerospace

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“…This is also the case for aluminum particles which, by reflecting incident solar radiation, have a cooling effect but can also absorb terrestrial radiation emitted towards space from the ground. As launcher emissions take place in the upper atmosphere and particularly above the tropopause, where molecule and particle residence times are significant, and aerosols can accumulate over many years, this modification of chemical composition could interact with the ozone layer, reducing ozone concentration by creating sites favoring the ozone decomposition reaction [25], changing the radiative balance and changing the temperature distribution. There are uncertainties about these effects due to lack of data, as measurements are difficult when the volume fractions involved are quite small.…”

Section: Environmental Impact Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large Satellite Constellations: Challenges and Impact

BACCELLI,

CANDEL,

PERRIN

et al. 2024

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The New Space Age (NewSpace) marks the advent of a new era in the use of space, characterized by the opening of space to new players, the use of new space technologies, new functionalities for satellites in orbit, and the development of satellite constellations, mainly in the fields of communications and Earth observation. These developments are underpinned by first-rate scientific and technological advances, as well as considerable public and private investment, in particular in the USA, China and, to a lesser extent, Europe. Fleets of small low- and medium-orbit satellites are replacing or complementing the large geostationary satellites that predominated in the previous period. Whereas space used to be reserved to a small number of states and major industrial groups, one is now witnessing the emergence of new space states, new industrial groups such as SpaceX or Amazon, and many start-ups. One also observes the emergence of companies with launching and satellite manufacturing capacities, which are also taking on the role of telecommunication operators and content producers. The most visible result of the deployment of these new space networks is the ability to provide high-speed, low-latency Internet connections to any point on the globe. Combined with Earth observation capabilities, these new communications resources also enable real-time action to be taken in any region, including those with no equipment other than terminals. In addition, these space networks are remarkably resilient compared with terrestrial networks. Geostrategic and military considerations combine with rapidly evolving business models to explain the massive investments currently being made in this domain. However, the lack of international regulation in the field is leading to a race to occupy orbits and frequencies, which has already had serious consequences for a whole range of scientific activities. These constellations have a potentially negative impact on astronomy in the visible and infrared optical domains, as well as on radio astronomy. They also raise a major problem in terms of space congestion, with an increase in the amounts of satellite debris resulting from launches or collisions between satellites, and the possibility of reaching a phase of chain reaction collisions. In addition, from an environmental point of view, the consequences of the proliferation of launches and uncontrolled re-entries into the atmosphere are equally worrying. What’s more, the lack of regulation in the field also leads to a loss of sovereignty, since these new satellite communication networks do not comply with any of the rules that states impose on terrestrial communication networks operating on their territories. A sustainable, global solution must be found to these problems, before major and potentially irreversible damage is inflicted on the planet’s environment, geostrategic balances, democracy, and science. While the Acad´emie des Sciences considers that France and Europe need to step up their scientific and industrial actions in this field in order to benefit from the remarkable advances of these new networks, and ultimately leverage the benefits of a resilient and secure communications network, the Acad´emie also recommends working in parallel to strengthen regulation of the field with the aim of assuring sustainable access to orbital and frequency resources, as well as protection for negatively impacted fields, foremost among which are astronomy and the environment.

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“…Other propellants emit black carbon into the stratosphere. These emissions contribute to ozone depletion and could limit gains made under the Montreal Protocol ( 50 , 53 , 54 ). In contrast, hydrogen-based propellants do not produce black carbon and are not considered as impacting the ozone layer.…”

Section: Context In Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Mining in space could spur sustainable growth

Fleming,

Lange,

Shojaeinia

et al. 2023

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Growth models with resources and environmental externalities typically assume that planet Earth is a closed economy. However, private firms like Blue Origin and SpaceX have reduced the cost of rocket launches by a factor of 20 over the last decade. What if these costs continue to decline, making mining from asteroids or the moon feasible? What would be the implications for economic growth and the environment? This paper provides stylized facts about cost trends, geology, and the environmental impact of mining on Earth and potentially in Space. We extend a neoclassical growth model to investigate the transition from mining on Earth to Space. We find that such a transition could potentially allow for continued growth of metal use, while limiting environmental and social costs on Earth. Acknowledging the high uncertainty around the topic, our paper provides a starting point for research on how Space mining could contribute to sustainable growth on Earth.

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The Climate and Ozone Impacts of Black Carbon Emissions From Global Rocket Launches

Cited by 21 publications

References 55 publications

Review of Alternative Sustainable Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Review of Alternative Sustainable Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Large Satellite Constellations: Challenges and Impact

Mining in space could spur sustainable growth

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