High

Alumina particle emissions

Solid rocket boosters release alumina particles that catalyse ozone destruction in the upper atmosphere.

Journal of Space Safety Engineering

Obligations (1)

Environmental impact assessment for launch sites

Medium

Launch operators must conduct environmental impact assessments covering soil, water, air quality, and wildlife impacts at and around launch facilities.

Opportunities (2)

Electric propulsion systems

Medium

Adopt electric propulsion (ion or Hall-effect thrusters) to reduce propellant mass, eliminate toxic fuels, and enable more flexible mission profiles.

Reusable launch vehicles

High

Support development of fully reusable launch systems to dramatically reduce per-launch environmental impact and cost.