SpaceX rockets are polluting Earth's atmosphere with metals: Study
What's the story
A recent study has revealed that the re-entry of space debris, including SpaceX rockets, is contributing to metal pollution in Earth's upper atmosphere. The research was conducted after a Falcon 9 rocket's uncontrolled re-entry on February 19, 2025. The event created a massive fireball over Europe and was closely monitored by scientists using a lidar station in Saxony, Germany.
Pollution tracking
Spike in lithium atoms
The researchers, led by Robin Wing from the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Rostock, detected a tenfold increase in lithium atoms in Earth's upper atmosphere. This spike was observed some 20 hours after the Falcon 9 rocket's uncontrolled re-entry. The study highlights how modern space activities are introducing more metals like lithium into our atmosphere's chemical composition.
Atmospheric impact
Spacecraft reentry and atmospheric pollution
As spacecraft re-enter the atmosphere, they break apart into smaller pieces that burn up and release metals into the upper atmosphere. This includes lithium, aluminium, and other metals used in spacecraft construction. The researchers chose to measure lithium as it is a good tracer of space debris pollution and is commonly found in spacecraft.
Detection method
Lidar study of lithium plume
The scientists used lidar, a laser-based remote sensing instrument, to detect an abrupt spike in lithium atom concentration on February 20, 2025. The plume of lithium stretched from some 94km to 97km above sea level. The researchers tracked the plume for 27 minutes until data recording stopped and traced it back to the Falcon 9 re-entry event.
Pollution levels
Impact on life on Earth
The study highlights that the amount of lithium, aluminium, copper, and lead from a single rocket reentry already exceeds the cosmic dust influx of these metals into the atmosphere. This raises concerns about how this change in atmospheric chemistry could impact life on Earth. However, more research is needed to understand the full extent of these effects on our planet.