The space race should not endanger Australian wildlife

The race to space continues, with the number of rockets launched increasing every year.

Most of these send satellites into orbit. A smaller number are for defense operations, space exploration and space tourism.

Australia has two existing rocket-launch facilities: the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland and the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.

Australian aerospace company Southern Launch, the operator of the Koonibba Test Range, has proposed a new coastal rocket-launch facility for Whalers Way on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. In Western Australia, the state government has thrown its support behind plans to build a spaceport across multiple sites.

Space facilities are often built in areas rich in wildlife, including many species already under threat from habitat destruction, climate change and H5N1 bird flu.

That raises the question: How can we explore space without harming ecosystems on Earth?

When rockets and nature collide

Rocket-launch facilities are typically built in coastal or desert areas away from human populations. This is to protect people from excess noise, falling debris and uncontrolled explosions from failed launches.

Because Australia’s coastal areas are home to a spectacular array of plants and animals, rocket launches can conflict with nearby nature. The proposed Whalers Way facility, for instance, would be built in a nature reserve that is home to more than 700 native species, including two endangered birds and the endangered Australian sea lion.

This conflict is not unique to Australia. A recent international study found more than 60% of the world’s rocket-launch facilities are located in or close to nature reserves, threatening global conservation efforts.

Building and operating coastal rocket-launch facilities can harm wildlife in various ways, including by:

Indirect environmental consequences may include:

• using huge amounts of fuel, such as refined petroleum or liquid methane, which contributes to global warming and ozone reduction
• releasing debris known as space junk into orbit, which creates a safety risk to people and space infrastructure

Who decides where rocket-launch facilities go?

In Australia, the Australian Space Agency regulates civil space activities under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018.

A company seeking to operate a rocket-launch facility must apply for a license, as well as permits for each launch or series of launches. Prospective operators must also receive approval under relevant federal and state environmental law.

As with other types of development, environmental groups and local residents can comment on proposals for new space facilities. The proposed Whalers Way facility would be located in a Heritage Agreement reserve, a place protected for nature in perpetuity under South Australian law. This has sparked widespread community opposition. A ruling from the Native Vegetation Council has also called the future of the project into question.

This represents a win for local residents and wildlife. However, the ruling could still be overturned by the South Australian government.

What’s next?

Never before have humans built so many commercial launch facilities and sent so many rockets into space.

As this technology rapidly advances, so must our research.

Because modern rockets are much louder than cars or airplanes, existing information on how vehicle noise affects wildlife is not particularly relevant to rocket launches.

We urgently need new research to measure the noise and blast waves experienced by animals close to rocket launches. Studies should examine how these sounds—including those at frequencies humans can’t hear—affect the behavior, survival and reproductive success of local species.

Research should also investigate the long-term impacts on wildlife, such as whether regular rocket launches lead to declining populations or even local extinction.

Crucially, governments must assess which sites are most suitable for new launch facilities. Whalers Way, as pointed out by local residents and conservationists, does not fall into this category. But other places, such as Koonibba or cleared coastal sites west of Ceduna, could allow Australia to grow its space ambitions while protecting precious wildlife.

Who’s behind this story?

Swati Mestri

Swati Mestri holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space.

Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master’s in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X’s editorial success.

Full profile →

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.