Scientists call for action to address air pollution from space launches

Satellite mega-constellation missions behind threefold increase in emissions of climate-altering soot and CO₂

Scientists are calling for a new global regime to address air pollution caused by the space industry.

Prof Eloise Marais's team at University College London (UCL) began tracking space activities in 2020. Their latest figures reveal 259 rocket launches in 2024, and 223 launches in 2023. These burned more than 153,000 tonnes of fuel.