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The Axiom-1 missionNASA plans to send four private astronauts into the International Space Station. This is just one of many missions NASA has planned to expand the ISS. Commercial use as part of what’s being called the low-Earth orbit economy.
The commander of Axiom-1 has stated emphatically that this is not an instance of space tourismThe crew has been trained and plans to conduct biomedical studies.
Crew members – all men aged 52 to 71 – reportedly paid a whopping US$55 million (£42.3 million)The cost of a ticket is approximately $16 per person, which would fund a remarkable biomedical research program here on Earth. But beyond the ludicrous ticket price, I’m concerned about the potential environmental impacts of such space jaunts.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft is at its apex, and the SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket will carry the crew. There are two stages to the rocket: the reusable booster, which holds the bulk of the fuel (about four-fifths), and returns to Earth for reuse. The second stage is discarded.
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The booster can reach an altitude of approximately 140kmBefore returning to Earth. The ISS uses the energy from the Combustion reactionBetween liquid oxygen and rocket-grade Kerosene, releasing harmful byproducts to the environment.
Rocket launches and the return of reusable components can release greenhouse gases and air pollutants into multiple layers of the atmosphere. These pollutants can persist in the upper atmosphere and middle. Years compared with equivalent pollutants released at or near the Earth’s surface, which linger for weeks at most. This is due to the fact that there are fewer chemical reactions and weather events to flush out pollutants from the middle and upper layers.
Potent pollutants
SpaceX Falcon rockets use kerosene, which is a mixture hydrocarbons that are composed of carbon and hydrogen. These react with liquid oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO₂), water vapour (H₂O) and black carbon or soot particles that are released from the rocket exhaust.
CO₂ and H₂O are potent greenhouse gases, and black soot particles are very efficient at absorbing the sun’s rays. That means all these chemicals contribute to warming the Earth’s atmosphere.
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Reactive air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) also form during launch. These are formed when high temperatures cause a bonding reaction of usually stable nitrogen molecules and oxygen molecules. NOx is also produced when the rocket’s reusable components Return to EarthDue to extreme temperatures caused by friction on the heat shields, as they whizz through space at 40km-70km.
These particles convert when they come in contact with the ozone layer (inthe stratosphere). Oxygen to ozone, depleting the fragile sheath that protects the planet from the sun’s harmful UV radiation.
NASA HQ Photo/Flickr, CC BY -NC-ND
Although total CO₂ emissions from this launch will be small in comparison to those from the global aircraft industry, emissions per passenger will be around 100 timesThese are from long-haul flights.
Soot emissions from aircraft industry are also less than those from other industries, but they have a warming effect when released to the middle and upper atmospheres. 500 times moreCompared to levels closer to Earth. This is in part because there are typically no clouds and few to no aerosols competing with soot to absorb the sun’s rays.
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Axiom founder compared the potential for creating industry and trade links within low-Earth orbit to early days of Internet developmentThe internet is now a widely accessible technology. Rocket launches will likely become more common than ever if we use the analogy to envision similar access to the low-Earth orbit economy. 146 launchesThis was achieved in 2021.
Such a scenario would substantially alter Earth’s climate and undermine our significant progress in repairing the ozone layer. It is imperative that research be done to determine the effects of a vibrant low-Earth orbit economy on our planet.
