Jakarta (ANTARA) – As a form of awareness of the impact on the environment, a number of space industry players are implementing a “green revolution”, starting from using more environmentally friendly fuels to making efforts to overcome the problem of space waste.
The space exploration industry sector, with a number of launches per year, produces carbon emissions that are as large as the aviation industry globally. In May 2022 two researchers from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, namely Ioannis Kokkinakis and Dimitris Drikakis conducted research to measure the potential health risks and climate change generated by rocket launches.
According to a Tech Crunch report, Monday (14/8), their research found that pollution produced by rocket launches has a significant cumulative effect on the climate and is harmful to human health. In their research, the researchers used data from launches using standard RP-1 fuel. RP-1 or Rocket Propellant-1/Refined Petroleum-, a common rocket fuel used for decades.
However, a single launch of a rocket using RP-1 fuel can create several tonnes of CO2 as well as black carbon particulate known as soot (soot). The good news is that one of the startups offering rocket launch services called Orbex, decided to use propane fuel for their rockets.
Propane has a combustion process that leaves no black carbon in the atmosphere and produces a lower carbon footprint than RP-1.
Also read: NASA presents a “streaming” service later this year
Other research from the University of Exeter shows that rockets “microlauncher” using the renewable propane fuel, bio-propane, can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 96 percent compared to rockets of a similar size.
A spaceport is being built in Scotland, namely the Sutherland Spaceport. The developer of the facility aims to make it a carbon-free spaceport in both development and operation.
The European Space Agency has also begun implementing sustainable measures for the environment by starting a study entitled “Ultra Green Launch and Space Transportation System”. The study tries to find long-term solutions that will be implemented in 2030 to 2050.
Through his leadership, the European Space Agency is also trying to find solutions to deal with the millions of space debris that has accumulated in Earth’s orbit.
Also read: China plans 60 space launches for 2023
Also read: Japanese astronauts become crew members of the US-led space station
Also read: William Shatner is the oldest space explorer in the world
Translator: Farhan Arda Nugraha
Editor: Natisha Andarningtyas
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2023-08-15 05:34:50
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