As the space industry grows globally, so does its damage to the environment. Researchers at the University of Southern California released a study saying that satellites are significantly damaging Earth’s ozone layer. As their materials burn up upon reentry, leaving behind particle pollutants made up of aluminum oxides, which are “known catalysts for chlorine activation that depletes ozone in the stratosphere.” Since 2016, the ozone layer has seen eight times as many of those pollutants, with an estimated 17 metric tons in 2022. The ozone layer is already fighting to recover from past damage caused by chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, foam blowing and as propellants in aerosol sprays. The Environmental Protection Agency previously forecasted full recovery within the next 25 to 35 years, but this estimate was dependent upon a continued decrease in ozone-depleting substances — a condition that is increasingly unlikely as SpaceX, Amazon and other companies seek to expand their satellite activity. What is Starlink?

Starlink leads the globe in satellite activity, and of the 8,100 objects in low Earth orbit, about 6,000 are Starlink satellites. These satellites provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to remote areas around the world.

The satellites are part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the top manufacturer of technology for private space exploration. SpaceX also manufactures various spacecrafts and rockets, including its huge Starship that it launches from South Texas at the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica, a beach town that sits off the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles from the border. Why is the ozone layer important?

The ozone layer protects us by acting as a filter between the sun and the Earth’s atmosphere. Located in the stratosphere, the ozone layer absorbs the majority of the sun’s high-energy UV radiation, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts and other health issues in humans, as well as harm animals and plants.