Scientists Highlight Surprising New Threat to Satellites: Climate Change

Earth’s changing climate does not only have an effect on the planet’s oceans, wildlife, and agriculture, it may also impact its surrounding space. New research examines the effect of greenhouse gases on Earth’s upper atmosphere, suggesting that it will shrink over time and become less capable of holding as many satellites as it does now. Using simulations of carbon emissions over time, a team of scientists from MIT is predicting a shocking drop in the satellite-carrying capacity of low Earth orbit. They concluded that, as the uppermost atmosphere shrinks, debris will linger longer, and the resulting reduction in atmospheric drag could increase the risk of collisions in space. The team predicts that by the year 2100, the carrying capacity of the most popular regions could be reduced by 50 to 66% due to the effects of greenhouse gases, according to a study published Monday in Nature Sustainability. “As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, they warm the troposphere where we live but cool ... Read full article.