SpaceX rocket fireball linked to plume of lithium
BBC World
February 19, 2026
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket crash in February 2025 over western Europe left a fiery trail across skies from Ireland to Germany, raising concerns about atmospheric pollution. Scientists have now linked the uncontrolled re-entry of this rocket debris to a significant increase in lithium levels in the atmosphere, measured at around 100km above Earth—a tenfold rise compared to natural sources like meteors. The rocket's aluminum-lithium alloy vaporized upon impact, releasing metal atoms detected by lidar technology. This incident highlights the potential environmental risks posed by space debris, particularly as SpaceX plans to launch up to one million satellites in the coming years.
The Falcon 9 failure scattered debris across Europe and Poland, with a large fragment discovered behind a warehouse in Komorniki, Poland. Researchers from institutions like the Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics and the University of Leeds detected lithium levels ten times higher than normal following the crash. While the long-term impacts on the ozone layer and climate regulation remain uncertain, experts warn that aluminum oxides could disrupt aerosols crucial for moderating Earth's temperature. This pollution underscores a growing concern: as space activities expand, so does the risk of debris falling back to Earth, potentially causing irreversible harm.
SpaceX's ambitious plans, including launching 10,000 Starlink satellites and a proposed million-satellite network for AI data centers, could exacerbate this issue. With nearly 30,000 existing space debris pieces already orbiting Earth, the threat of collisions with critical infrastructure like the International Space Station or satellites is increasing. Scientists urge stricter regulations to mitigate these risks, as highlighted in a recent call by researchers from NASA and other institutions to include orbital protection in UN sustainable development goals. Without action, the pollution from rocket debris could spiral out of control, leaving lasting scars on both Earth's atmosphere and humanity's future in space.
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/19/2026