The environmental impact of space exploration hasn’t received much attention over the years — and for some reasons.
For one, the industry has been small, so any environmental impact has only been deemed infinitesimal relative to other sectors.
Secondly, space exploration has long been considered governmental, much like national security and defence.
But things have changed significantly. Today, space exploration is no longer the “small industry” it used to be a few years ago. The rocket launching rate is growing exponentially, and the frequency is only expected to grow in the coming years.
Let’s take 2021, for instance. There were only 133 successful rocket launches. This number grew to 178 the following year and 211 in 2023, clearly showing how rocket launching intervals are becoming shorter and shorter with time.
Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO, stated that the ultimate goal of Starship is to launch up to three times a day. That’s about 1000 rocket launches in a year — and that’s only SpaceX! Other participants in the industry are also aiming to increase the rate of their launches. Virgin Galactic, for instance, targets 400 every year.
In other words, the Space industry is growing at a remarkable rate. As such, the environmental impact of space exploration is no longer a subject that can be downplayed, especially in the midst of growing environmental concerns.
This blog post examines the 10 deadly environmental impacts of space exploration. Keep following to see how this growing trend is causing harm to Mother Earth.
1. Ozone Depletion
One of the main environmental impacts of space exploration is that it is exacerbating the depletion of the ozone layer, a thin layer of gas in the earth’s stratosphere that protects the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
During rocket launching, the high temperatures convert nitrogen present in the air into nitrogen oxides, which are known to destroy the ozone layer. Each NOX is known to destroy multiple molecules of the ozone layer.
The ozone layer is only 3mm thick, so the more the ozone molecules are destroyed, the likelier it is for the sun’s UV radiation to reach the Earth. That translates to more trouble for plants and animals alike, as UV radiation inhibits photosynthesis in plants and increases the chances of skin-related conditions in humans, including skin cancer.
2. The Black Carbon Impact
Black carbon is the black fine substance we see in car emissions. Also called soot, black carbon is a highly hazardous substance to our planet and its inhabitants.
One fact about space exploration that can’t be ignored is that it emits this harmful substance in large quantities. According to scientists, some rockets can emit approximately 10,000x more black carbon particles than most modern engines in airplanes and jets!
Once emitted, black carbon has far-reaching effects. For instance, it absorbs solar energy and releases it into the atmosphere as heat, significantly contributing to the global warming effect.
In fact, a research study revealed that 70% of all the heating happening in the stratosphere is caused by black carbon. Alumina, yet another substance released by rockets, came second, causing 28% of the increment, while water only contributed 2%, more than CO2, whose temperature impact was almost zero.
In some cases, black carbon falls with precipitation, causing snow, ice, and glaciers to darken. This darkening results in the absorption of solar energy, consequently causing the ice, snow, and glaciers to melt faster than usual.
And, of course, black carbon has also long been associated with respiratory issues. The substance is a component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution, the #1 environmental cause of poor health and premature deaths. In 2019, a staggering 4.4 million deaths were attributed to long-term ambient PM2·5 exposure — as per The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD).
3. Stratospheric Pollution
The other impact of space exploration is that it results in stratospheric pollution. That’s because after they’re launched, rockets have been known to emit water vapor as a byproduct of the combustion happening in their engines.
Once released, water vapor infiltrates the stratosphere, a region that is usually characterized by low water content. The infiltration changes the stratospheric composition, apparently affecting its natural capabilities.
4. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Black carbon, alumina, and water vapor aren’t the only emissions from space exploration practices. Spacecraft also emit a substantial amount of water vapor and CO2. For instance, in one of the rocket launches, SpaceX noticed that one of their Starship launches emitted 76,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
The Falcon 9 has also been documented to emit 336 tons of this greenhouse gas per launch. That’s a truly enormous amount released into the atmosphere, and it might not take long before the consequences begin to manifest.
5. Carbon Footprint of Manufacturing
Rocket propulsion isn’t the only aspect of space exploration that produces CO2. Manufacturing rockets, satellites, and supporting equipment also emit significant CO2 into the atmosphere. It is estimated that satellite production alone is responsible for thousands of tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere annually.
6. Noise Pollution
Of course, space exploration significantly contributes to noise pollution. This happens during the rocket liftoff, as the process is known to be extremely loud.
Let’s explore the example of the Saturn V, a rocket used by NASA to send some of its astronauts to the moon. It was found to make sounds as loud as 204.7 dB. To bring you into perspective, sound over 170 dB is enough to cause pulmonary embolisms, pulmonary contusions, or even burst lungs, as per Decibel Pro.
With that in mind, now think about 204.7 dB. It’s deafening, right? But here’s the thing: you likely will never hear such health issues emanating from a rocket launch, and that’s because rocket launchers usually have sound protection.
However, for wildlife nearby, the noise level can be very traumatizing and may even permanently drive these animals out of their natural habitats.
Of course, we still have quieter rockets that produce sounds around 150 dB. A classic example is SpaceX’s super-heavy rocket system. It produces 150dB on the launch pad, which is loud enough to be heard at 120 dB by anyone who is 13 km away and at 111 dB by those 24 km away. That amount of noise, especially from that far, clearly paints a picture of how loud rocket launching actually is.
7. Habitat Destruction
Rocket launching primarily requires a large site and other related infrastructure. This means that sometimes forests have to be cleared to create room for launching, an activity that disturbs the natural ecosystem by disrupting wildlife movement patterns causing damage to sensitive habitats.
For example, the construction of the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana disrupted significant portions of the Amazon rainforest, affecting biodiversity and displacing wildlife.
Depending on the situation, the launch can even have fuel spills, which have lots of harmful effects on soil, water, and even air quality.
8. Ocean Contamination
Rockets are designed with multiple stages, each designed to independently propel the unit during a specific phase of the journey.
Once the first stage (which is the lowermost part of the rocket) has exhausted its fuel, it’s detached — or jettisoned as experts call it — from the rest of the rocket to reduce the weight, and the next stage takes over in propelling the remaining part of the rocket. This discarding helps ensure efficiency, as it would be inefficient to keep hauling the redundant stage throughout the journey, considering the significant amount of weight it has.
Once the initial stage detaches from the rest of the rocket, it almost always falls into oceans. This results in the deposition of unburned fuels, toxic metals, and other toxins into the seas, significantly affecting aquatic life and long-term threats to coral reefs.
9. Resource Depletion
The construction of satellites and spacecraft uses aerospace-grade aluminum or titanium, or a combination of the two, as both materials are considered strong and, at the same time, lightweight.
Other materials like lithium and platinum are also great options. Unfortunately, most of these materials are extracted through energy-intensive processes.
Let’s take the example of titanium. This metal has a high melting point and strong metallic bonds that require more energy to break than other metals with lower melting points, for instance, lead.
Even worse, some of these metals are found in low concentrations in the ores, which means massive mining has to be done to attain the substantial amount of metal needed. This makes the mining process environmentally damaging, raising concerns about sustainability.
10. Orbital Light Pollution
Recent times have seen an exponential increase in the number of satellites in orbit. As of January 2025, there are 6,912 Starlink satellites in orbit. Out of that number, 6,874 are working. The total number of satellites is estimated to be over 10,000, and an upsurge is expected at even higher rates.
While these constellations have numerous benefits, one significant downside is that they create artificial light that disrupts astronomical observations. This impacts the accuracy of findings, consequently driving poor decision-making. In addition, the artificial light emitted by satellite constellations affects wildlife, especially those that rely on natural light cycles for navigation and behavior.
Conclusion
While space exploration is a good indicator of progress and discovery, we just can’t afford to keep downplaying its environmental costs. From atmospheric pollution to habitat destruction, the impacts of this practice are far-reaching. By adopting sustainable practices and fostering global collaboration, humanity can explore the cosmos responsibly while preserving our planet. The balance between ambition and accountability will determine the legacy we leave behind.
