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Space X
Space X have just successfully returned a rocket to the launch pad.
An historic and incredibly impressive moment but totally unnecessary and terrifying. Unless you want to live on Mars of course.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
https:/
'Scientists from NOAA and The Aerospace Corp. modeled the climate response of the stratosphere to increased future emissions of black carbon from rockets burning kerosene fuel. Projected growth in rocket launches for space tourism, moon landings, and perhaps travel to Mars has many dreaming of a new era of space exploration. But a NOAA study suggests that a significant boost in spaceflight activity may damage the protective ozone layer on the one planet where we live.
Kerosene-burning rocket engines widely used by the global launch industry emit exhaust containing black carbon, or soot, directly into the stratosphere, where a layer of ozone protects all living things on the Earth from the harmful impacts of ultraviolet radiation, which include skin cancer and weakened immune systems in humans, as well as disruptions to agriculture and ecosystems.
According to new NOAA research published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, a 10-fold increase in hydrocarbon fueled launches, which is plausible within the next two decades based on recent trends in space traffic growth, would damage the ozone layer, and change atmospheric circulation patterns.
“We need to learn more about the potential impact of hydrocarbon-burning engines on the stratosphere and on the climate at the surface of the Earth,” said lead author Christopher Maloney, a CIRES research scientist working in NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory.' [Emphasis added]
TORATORATORA tends not to acknowledge anything I post so if someone else wants to post something similar, feel free to do so.
In fairness lots of actions have a possiblity of causing damage. The thing that needs investigating is, if any then how much ? And, if any can natural processes repair it anyway ? Only further research will let us know if there is any need to be concerned. (After all, ozone was being depleted before but has been repairing itself for some time now.)
I'm not going to join in the climate discussions, it would only lead to more rude and patronising responses! However it goes without saying that space travel is not helping this planet!
To answer the question as to why I find it terrifiying - it's because there is no control over Space X or Elon Musk who is impulsive, temperamental, and economically abusive. As I said in the OP, it was impressive and I was amazed when I watched it live this afternoon, but it's terrifying to think about what comes next in terms of non-scientific space travel and control of space.
//I watched it live this afternoon, but it's terrifying to think about what comes next in terms of non-scientific space travel and control of space. //
Ahh the control of space. Who would you choose to be in charge? The Chinese? The religion of peace? Russia? Sometimes the bad option is better than the worst Maydup. I am not a fan of the Musk hair trigger political responses but am in awe of the technical achievements he has organised and financed from Space X, to Tesla, to AI and robotics. He is a very, very, clever individual. He knows how to recruit and motivate other very clever people. That is the danger ... not the save the World, emotional, refusal to recognise the technical and indeed industrial brilliance happening before us.
Manned space exploration is probably not on for a very long time. We are sending unmanned craft to planets and gathering data from them to enable us to understand how the solar system works. We need to be patient, not to send humans out into dangerous environments where the risks of human failure are already well understood. The idea of terraforming planets such as Mars is not really feasible. We can't even look after our own planet, much less imagine that we can land on Mars and make it habitable.
