The Impact of Deorbiting Space Debris on Stratospheric Ozone

Abstract

The Environmental Management of the Space and Missile Systems Command has set out to evaluate the depletion of stratospheric ozone caused by Air Force activities in space. Potential destruction of ozone by launch vehicle exhaust is one item of concern (Ref. 1.1). The use of advanced propellants to minimize launch-induced ozone destruction is discussed in a companion report. The present report describes a quantitative assessment of another potential destroyer of stratospheric ozone: deorbiting space debris. The results of the present study lead to the conclusion that deorbiting space debris has very little impact on stratospheric ozone.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 31, 1994
Accession Number
ADA414310

Entities

People

  • Eric Y. Wong
  • M. R. Denison
  • Mario J. Molina
  • Peter D. Lohn

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Classification
  • Contracts
  • Debris
  • Environmental Management
  • Launch Vehicles
  • Organizational Structure
  • Planetary Sciences
  • Space Debris
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris