2nd Workshop - Atmospheric Impacts of Spacecraft Launch and Re-entry

As part of the ESA Green Agenda and the Clean Space Office, we must drive the design of space products and services towards minimizing the environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycle.

This workshop will explore the key scientific, engineering, and environmental issues related to spacecraft launch and re-entry, including:

• Field measurement campaigns – reviewing existing field study findings and exploring future initiatives to detect and analyse aerosols containing launcher and spacecraft-derived particles.
• Chemistry of launch and re-entry emissions – investigating how spaceflight compounds such as nitrous oxide, metal oxides, black carbon, and ablated materials interact with the gases and aerosols already present in the ‘background’ stratosphere and mesosphere, including their potential to catalyse ozone depletion and alter cloud formation.
• Advancements in modelling and laboratory simulations – assessing how experimental and computational approaches can improve predictions of atmospheric impacts.
• Methodologies for integrating atmospheric impacts into life cycle assessments – Evaluating how launchers and spacecraft can be designed to minimize environmental impact.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration – bringing together experts in atmospheric science, the space sector, and policy to identify research gaps and explore strategies for regulation.