According to a recent study, the increase in rocket launches anticipated over the next few decades will be harmful to both the ozone layer and the temperature of the globe. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-led study concentrated on the effects of rockets that burn fossil fuels, like SpaceX's Falcon 9.
The effects of rocket launches on the environment have mainly been disregarded up until now. Numerous scientists have asserted that, in comparison to other sources of pollution, the pollution produced by space missions is insignificant. For instance, scientists estimate that the aviation sector alone burns 100 times more fuel in a year than all the rockets that are launched globally combined.
While fossil-fueled rockets are still the most popular in use today, other technologies are already in use or are currently being researched that appear to have a lesser environmental impact. For instance, Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital rocket uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which emits just water vapor. In addition, researchers claim that the mixture of liquid oxygen and methane produces very little pollution when burned properly.