"Assessing the Environmental Impact of Satellite Megaconstellations on Space Exploration"
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs reported a record year for space launches in 2023, raising concerns among scientists about the potential harm to the Earth's upper atmosphere due to the exhaust plumes from rockets. There are worries that these plumes could be dispersing harmful pollutants into the pristine layers of the atmosphere, prompting further investigation into the environmental impact of the new space race.