For fun to space in a rocket. It is now a hobby of the ultra-rich. But that's how aviation started. If the popularity of space tourism increases, the damage to the environment will be incalculable. This is what researchers from UCL, the University of Cambridge and MIT write in a study they published in the journal Earth's Future. Using a 3D model, the scientists analyzed the impact of the launch and return of all rockets in 2019. They compared this data to the expected growth of space tourism given the recent increase in investment in private space travel. The study shows that the soot particles emitted by rockets trap almost 500 times more heat in the atmosphere than all other sources of soot combined. Soot is a product of the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels, such as petrol, diesel or biofuels. Almost ten years ago, scientists discovered that soot has the largest impact on climate change after CO2. Rocket damages ozone layer Rockets also cause damage to the ozone layer, a layer in the Earth's atmosphere that protects life on Earth by blocking some of the harmful radiation from the sun. On its return to Earth, the rocket burns its way through the atmosphere. This produces harmful substances and debris that damage the ozone layer. The scientists calculated that daily or weekly space travel will deplete the ozone layer to such an extent that the recovery since the Montreal protocol will be nullified. With that protocol, chemicals that damage the ozone layer were banned from 1987, after which it was able to recover successfully. Investments in space tourism The damage that rockets cause to the ozone layer is still small because relatively few rockets are launched. But as space tourism increases, the impact will also increase. Investment in space travel has increased exponentially in recent years. Led by billionaires like Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), Jef Bezos (Blue Origin) and Elon Musk (SpaceX), investors are pouring billions into building rockets and satellites. Last year, private investors put as much as $14.5 billion into companies active in 'space infrastructure'. The scientists call for regulation of space travel. “This study opens our eyes to the damaging effects of space tourism on the ozone layer and climate,” said study co-author Robert Ryan. “We need to start the conversation now about regulating the space travel industry so that we can minimize damage to the ozone layer and the climate.” Read more: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF002612