10.22: Effect of Rocket Launches on Climate Change

Climate News 10.2022: Effects of Rocket Launches on Climate Change

Every time a rocket is launched it releases black carbon or soot, which, when there were only about 70 worldwide rocket launches a year didn’t have a significant impact, but now with an average of about twice that is becoming more of a problem. Each year about 1,000 metric tons of soot is released into the stratosphere from rocket launches. However, this does not include all the fossil fuels used to build and transport these rockets. 

Currently rocket launches account for 0.24 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions but scientists think this number will start growing rapidly as we enter a new era of increased space exploration. Some estimate that in the next 10-20 years the number of annual rocket launches could be multiplied by a factor of 10. Last year (2021), there were 144 rocket launches worldwide, so if in 15 years 1,440 rocket launches take place that will account for 2.4% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, by today's standards. That's as much emissions as the whole commercial airline industry right now. As we continue into an age of space exploration, this is just motivation for scientists who are working to develop new more efficient fuel for rockets to replace current ones such as RP-1.