As interest in the UK space industry soars, so will the environmental impact of rocket launches and resulting space tourism. Although rockets are increasingly fuel efficient when compared to other sectors due to the use of alternate fuels like liquid hydrogen, they use substantial amounts of energy to launch into space.
Currently, there are around 80 to 90 launches each year, with each estimated to produce around 150 metric tons of carbon on launch. This would rise to 4,000 metric tons annually if a rocket were launched every two weeks.
At a rate of 400 launches per year globally, stratospheric black carbon emissions could reach 800 tonnes annually, while alumina emissions could approach 5,000 tonnes.
The transport industry is the most polluting sector in the UK, according to the latest available figures, producing 124.6 MtCO2e and contributing around 40% of UK non-traded emissions. Transport is also the largest consumer of final energy, accounting for 40% of final energy demand in 2017 with international aviation included.
More exploration needs to be done to establish the environmental impact of increased rocket launches with transport emissions in mind. Although an increased use of biofuels will reduce energy consumption, the estimated rise in space tourism could have a detrimental impact on the environment.
According to a carbon impact assessment carried out by the University of Exeter, the annual GHG emissions of Spaceport Cornwall are not expected to significantly affect Cornwall’s efforts in tackling climate change.
Annual total GHG emissions are estimated to grow gradually from 802 tCo2e in 2021 to 1848 tCo2e in 2025-30 when radiative forcing (RF) at high altitude is excluded.
When RF effects are accounted for, annual total GHG emissions are expected to more than double, growing from 1,666 tCo2e in 2021 to 4,239 tCo2e in 2025-30. Although this may seem like a large environmental impact, these emissions are relatively low when compared to the total Co2 emissions in Cornwall. Without RF effects, Spaceport Cornwall would account for between 0.02% and 0.05% of Cornwall’s total Co2 emissions.
With RF effects, annual emissions would be between 0.04% and 0.10% of Cornwall’s total emissions. These calculations are based on a maximum of eight launches per year from 2025 onwards. Despite this minimal impact, campaigners remain concerned that the spaceport will hinder Cornwall’s transition to a green future.
The Stay in Cornwall Spaceport Case File
Stay in Cornwall's Spaceport Case File analyses official government reports covering the UK space sector, looking at its carbon emissions, economical impact, employment rate and educational interest to date. The case file also looks at the UK's key space explorations, contributions and discoveries, to highlight the history surrounding spaceports.
Sources include the Office for National Statistics, Spaceport Cornwall, London Economics and the Space Innovation and Growth Strategy.