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Space

Space

Pollution from rocket launches and burning satellites could cause the next environmental emergency

Space
Summary
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78% Informative

The number of rockets launched per year has nearly tripled in the past 15 years .

The amount of space debris falling back to Earth has doubled over the past 10 years .

Space junk burning up in the atmosphere on a yearly basis is expected to reach more than 3,300 tons ( 3,000 metric tons ) Experts are racing to understand the new threat before it's too late.

Air pollution from rocket flights and reentering satellites is currently not subject to any regulations.

In the U.S. , the nonprofit Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) recently called on the Federal Communications Commission , which awards licenses to satellite operators, to halt all megaconstellation satellite launches until the environmental impacts of satellite reentries are assessed.