Commercial rocket launches are thinning Earth's ozone layer: Study

Technology Nov 08, 2025

Turns out, sending rockets into space isn't as harmless as it seems.
A new study from ETH Zurich says commercial rocket launches—and, increasingly, satellite re-entries—are contributing to the thinning of Earth's ozone layer—a problem that could undo decades of progress since the Montreal Protocol started healing it back in 1987.

More rockets, more problems

With more satellites and even space tourism taking off, rocket launches are happening more often.
These rockets release chlorine and black-carbon soot high up in the atmosphere, both of which speed up ozone loss.
The study warns that if we don't switch to cleaner tech or set better rules, our ozone layer could get even thinner—right when we need it most.