Elwyn Sirieys*, Chloe Gentgen, Asha Jain, Julia Milton, Olivier L. de Weck
Edited by Corey A. Stevens and Friederike M. C. Benning
Article | Aug. 29 2022
DOI: 10.38105/spr.whfig18hta
Highlights
- Space launch activities generate direct emissions of combustion products into different layers of the atmosphere, inducing ozone depletion and affecting Earth’s energy balance
- Scientific understanding of the implications and magnitude of this impact is insufficient, and the expected growth of the sector makes it a pressing issue
- International regulation is virtually absent on this topic and local policies are scarce
- The development of actionable and common life cycle sustainability metrics dedicated to launch vehicles could be beneficial to the sector
Article Summary
Open Access

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Elwyn Sirieys
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Technology and Policy Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Chloe Gentgen
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Asha Jain
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Julia Milton
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Olivier L. de Weck
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA