Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are falling back to Earth: Is ozone layer at risk?

Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are falling back to Earth: Is ozone layer at risk?

Low Earth Orbit satellites that re-enter the atmosphere could cost us dearly. Here’s how Starlink and other satellites slowly damage the ozone layer.

Starlink Satellites Re-Entering Earth: A Hidden Threat to the Ozone Layer

The rapid expansion of low Earth orbit satellites is fueling concerns about ozone layer depletion. In January, around 120 SpaceX Starlink satellites burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating artificial meteor showers. While these displays may look stunning, scientists warn that the re-entry of satellites releases aluminum oxide particles, which could pose a long-term risk to the ozone layer. The Growing Satellite Problem Satellites in low Earth …

Near-future rocket launches could slow ozone recovery

Rocket emissions damage the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects life from harmful solar radiation. To understand if significant ozone losses could occur as the launch industry grows, we examine two scenarios of industry aspirations. Our ‘ambitious’ scenario (2,040 launches/year) leads to a ...

SpaceX Reports Some Starlink Satellites May Not Fully Disintegrate on Reentry

SpaceX has revealed that not all parts of its retired Starlink satellites fully disintegrate when reentering the Earth’s atmosphere, potentially leaving small remnants to reach the ground. The company has been actively deorbiting older satellites, designed with a lifespan of approximately five years, by reentering them into the Earth’s atmosphere where they are expected to burn up. Satellite Decommissioning Process The process, intended to safel…