SpaceX's growing Starlink megaconstellation could be hindering the Earth's ozone layer from healing itself, researchers find.

Abstract from the paper in the article:

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL109280

Large constellations of small satellites will significantly increase the number of objects orbiting the Earth. Satellites burn up at the end of service life during reentry, generating aluminum oxides as the main byproduct. These are known catalysts for chlorine activation that depletes ozone in the stratosphere. We present the first atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulation study to resolve the oxidation process of the satellite’s aluminum structure during mesospheric reentry, and investigate the ozone depletion potential from aluminum oxides. We find that the demise of a typical 250-kg satellite can generate around 30 kg of aluminum oxide nanoparticles, which may endure for decades in the atmosphere. Aluminum oxide compounds generated by the entire population of satellites reentering the atmosphere in 2022 are estimated at around 17 metric tons. Reentry scenarios involving mega-constellations point to over 360 metric tons of aluminum oxide compounds per year, which can lead to significant ozone depletion.

PS: wooden satellites can help mitigate this https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01456-z

    • Argonne@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      5 months ago

      That’s never going to happen. Both Democrats and Republicans abuse NASA and take money from it. Because the public doesn’t care or understand the importance of space travel. Your comments are a prime example of misinformation about space capabilities that NASA has. Without SpaceX, we would still be sucking Russia off to launch on the ISS. Spacex doesn’t give a fuck about politicians and just does what they want. That might be bad one day, but today it’s fucking great, and anyone saying otherwise is either misinformed or intentionally misleading

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      5 months ago

      NASA has blown up their fair share of rockets in their day. A couple of shuttles as well. I’m saying that all the people working at SpaceX would have been better employed as NASA employees so their research isn’t payealled.