Space Tourism Might Worsen Ozone Layer Hole! Experts Claim SpaceX Launches Could Put Repair Efforts To Waste

Their main goal is to deliver human passengers into space, even without undergoing training similar to those experienced by astronauts and cosmonauts.

Although they can't bring them to the moon or other near planets, giving them the actual zero-gravity experience outside Earth is still quite astonishing.

However, experts are now concerned that these commercial spaceflights might worsen the existing ozone layer hole.

Space Tourism Might Worsen Ozone Layer Hole!

According to SkyNews' latest report, a new joint study was conducted by UCL (University College London), MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and the University of Cambridge.

Their latest research revealed that commercial spaceflights are further damaging the ozone layer of Earth.

Involved researchers explained that the exits and re-entries of the rockets sent by SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and space companies retain heat 500 times the rate of other soot (a black powder consisting largely of amorphous carbon) sources.

Dr. Eloise Marais, a researcher at UCL and one of the study's co-authors, said that spacecraft emissions are worst than the carbon emissions created by ground-based sources and normal aircraft models.

Ozone Hole Repair Efforts Could Be Put To Waste

Ever since SpaceX started the commercial spaceflight trend, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and other space companies began making efforts to launch their own crewed launches.

Since commercial spaceflights are rising in numbers, scientists decided to study the data from more than 100 rockets sent into outer space since 2019, including the rockets of SpaceX and Virgin Galactic.

They discovered that these launches doubled the soot on the ozone layer in just three years. One of these reasons is the rubber in their fuel.

If commercial spaceflights continue to rise in numbers, the repair efforts made to fix the existing ozone hole might be put to waste.

You can visit the new study titled "Impact of Rocket Launch and Space Debris Air Pollutant Emissions on Stratospheric Ozone and Global Climate" to see more details about the space tourism issue.

Previously, experts claimed that Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are not qualified to lead space tourism.

Meanwhile, Richard Branson claimed that the space market can still accommodate 20 more companies.

For more news updates about space tourism and other similar topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Griffin Davis