Professor Robin Wing of the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics, and colleagues were already studying pollution caused by falling space debris when a SpaceX Falcon 9 malfunctioned in flight on 19 February 2025.
As the rocket re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, it disintegrated into fireballs visible over Ireland, England and Germany before debris fell to the ground, including a 1.5m by 1m fragment discovered behind a warehouse in Komorniki, Poland. The uncontrolled re-entry provided what Wing described as a rare opportunity to measure the atmospheric impact of a known object.
Prof Wing told the BBC: “We saw the news that this rocket had crashed into Poland. It had flown almost directly over us, and we thought, ‘Oh, this is a great chance’.”
His team used a laser system to detect metal atoms released from the rocket’s aluminium-lithium body.
Working with Prof John Plane at the University of Leeds, they found that lithium levels at around 100km above Earth increased tenfold.
Wing said the atmosphere naturally receives “about 50-80g daily from small meteors”.
He added: “So, a single Falcon 9 rocket has about 30kg, so this is quite a lot more.
“Our largest concern is aluminium and aluminium oxides interacting with the ozone layer.
“This is a new scientific field. It’s hard to speculate because it’s changing so quickly.
“I hope that if we start our measurements now, perhaps we can get ahead of the curve and identify any potential problems before they become serious.”
Earlier research suggested 10 percent of atmospheric aerosols are already contaminated by space debris.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, did not respond to emailed requests for comment from BBC News.
The researchers said they had also sent their findings to the company without reply.
Scientists estimate nearly 30,000 pieces of debris are currently in orbit, created by rocket break-ups and satellite disintegration.
Musk’s company is the leading launch provider globally and operates around 10,000 Starlink satellites.
The billionaire has said he has applied to launch one million satellites to support AI data centres in space.
Andy Lawrence, professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Space regulations don’t cover the new problems emerging - interference with astronomical observations, risk of collision in orbit, risk of stuff falling on our heads, and now it is becoming clear, atmospheric pollution.”
He added: “The international community is working hard trying to set standards and new regulations, but space commerce is changing faster than we can keep up.”
