How the billionaire space race could be one giant leap for pollution

[turbinetree]

One rocket launch produces up to 300 tons of carbon dioxide into the upper atmosphere where it can remain for years

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Last week Virgin Galactic took Richard Branson past the edge of space, roughly 86 km up – part of a new space race with the Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, who aims to make a similar journey on Tuesday.

Both very wealthy businessmen hope to vastly expand the number of people in space. “We’re here to make space more accessible to all,” said Branson, shortly after his flight. “Welcome to the dawn of a new space age.”

Already, people are buying tickets to space. Companies including SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Space Adventures want to make space tourism more common.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/19/billionaires-space-tourism-environment-emissions

[multigraincracker]

1. Good time for a carbon tax.

[lagomorph777]

2. New Shepard is LH2/LOX: no carbon.

Starship is MethaLOX (fairly low carbon)

Virgin's spaceplane uses carbon-based fuel, but in far smaller amount, because a plane is more efficient than a rocket for a flight that barely leaves the atmosphere.

[Dial H For Hero]

3. In 2019, commercial aviation put 785 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

A rocket which produces 300 tons is 0.00004% of that. Not exactly a "giant leap".

[tinrobot]

4. Being a billionaire causes way more pollution.

Private jets, yachts, giant homes all are polluting.

Not to mention the costs of building the billion dollar fortune itself.