US Study Satellite Cleanup May Harm Ozone Layer

TapTechNews June 27th news, currently the mainstream way to clean up space junk and retired satellites is to let them return to the Earth and burn up after friction with the atmosphere.

The latest research from The Aerospace Corporation in the US shows that this way of cleaning up satellites may damage the Earth's ozone layer.

TapTechNews looked up public information. The Aerospace Corporation is a non-profit company in the US and operates a federally-funded research and development center in El Segundo, California. The company provides technical guidance and advice on all aspects of space missions for military, civilian, and commercial customers.

The research report points out that the main by-product produced when satellites burn in the atmosphere is nanoalumina particles, which can stay in the atmosphere for decades, and these particles may be catalysts for chemical reactions that destroy ozone molecules.

Research shows that in 2022, an estimated 17 metric tons of alumina fell from satellites into the upper atmosphere, which is 29.5% higher than the normal level. This sounds like not much, but this is just the beginning.

A typical satellite is estimated to weigh 250 kilograms and will produce approximately 30 kilograms of nanoalumina particles after entering the atmosphere and burning, and these particles may exist in the atmosphere for decades.

The model built by the research team shows that more than 360 metric tons (1 metric ton = 1000 pounds) of alumina are injected into the stratosphere each year, and these additional particles are sufficient to damage the ozone layer again.

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