Climate Impact of Space Exploration
- December 12, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Climate Impact of Space Exploration
Sub : Sci
Sec: Space sector
Why in News
- The growing reliance on space technology for critical functions like climate monitoring has brought attention to the environmental impact of space activities. Concerns include emissions from rocket launches, depletion of the ozone layer, and orbital debris accumulation, which threaten both Earth’s atmosphere and space sustainability.
Environmental Challenges in Space Exploration:
- Impact of Rocket Launches: Rocket launches release carbon dioxide, black carbon, and water vapor into the atmosphere.
- Ozone Depletion: Chlorine-based rocket propellants harm the ozone layer, increasing ground-level UV radiation and disrupting atmospheric circulation.
- Satellite Ash: When satellites burn up during re-entry, they release metallic ash into the middle atmosphere, potentially altering climate dynamics.
- Satellite Production: Manufacturing satellites requires large amounts of energy and materials, such as metals and composites, with substantial carbon footprints.
- Orbital Debris: Defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Barriers to Sustainable Space Activities:
- Regulatory Gaps: Space activities are not included in international sustainability agreements like the Paris Agreement. Absence of binding regulations for emissions and debris management poses challenges.
- Overcrowding in LEO: Increasing satellite and debris density raises costs and limits accessibility, undermining space as a shared global resource.
- International Cooperation: Collaboration through bodies like the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) is essential to establish enforceable standards.
Achieving Sustainability in Space Exploration:
- Reusable Rockets: Reduce manufacturing waste and costs but require higher fuel consumption and costly refurbishments.
- Cleaner Fuels: Liquid hydrogen and biofuels minimize emissions but face challenges such as non-renewable production processes and high costs. Cryogenic and electric propulsion offer potential but are limited in scope and affordability.
- Biodegradable Satellites: Reduce long-term debris but require further development for durability and cost-effectiveness.
- Autonomous Debris Removal (ADR): Technologies like robotic arms and lasers show promise but need legal and financial support.
About Black Carbon:
- Black carbon (BC) is a fine particulate pollutant formed from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and organic materials.
- It is a short-lived climate pollutant but significantly contributes to global warming.
- Sources:
- Burning of biomass (e.g., cow dung, straw in traditional cookstoves).
- Diesel vehicles and coal-fired power plants.
- Open burning and certain industrial processes.
- Environmental Impacts:
- Absorbs solar radiation, warming the atmosphere.
- Reduces albedo when deposited on snow/ice, accelerating melting.
- Second-largest contributor to climate warming after CO₂.
- Health Impacts: Linked to heart disease, birth complications, and premature deaths.
About Chlorine-Based Propellants:
- Historically used in rocket fuels and as refrigerants (e.g., CFCs in aerosols).
- Chlorine compounds contribute to ozone layer depletion by releasing chlorine radicals in the stratosphere.
- Results in increased UV radiation reaching Earth, leading to health risks like skin cancer and ecosystem damage.
- Mitigation:
- Adoption of the Montreal Protocol (1987) to phase out ozone-depleting substances.
- Transition to environmentally friendly alternatives like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), though these also pose challenges like global warming potential.
About Space Debris:
- Space debris includes defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from disintegration, posing risks to operational spacecraft and the International Space Station.
- India: ISRO’s NETRA project monitors space debris and ensures the safety of satellites. Collaboration with global agencies for debris mitigation strategies.
- United Nations (COPUOS): Develops guidelines for debris mitigation and sustainable space activities.
- Active Debris Removal (ADR): Technologies to remove debris, like nets and harpoons, under projects like ESA’s ClearSpace-1.
- Tracking Networks: NASA and ESA maintain debris monitoring systems, such as NASA’s Orbital Debris Program.
About COPUOS (Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space):
- Established: 1959 by the United Nations.
- Purpose:
- Promote peaceful uses of outer space.
- Develop international space law.
- Address issues like space debris, resource utilization, and space exploration.
- Key Activities:
- Development of treaties like the Outer Space Treaty (1967).
- Collaboration with member states to establish space sustainability guidelines.