Trump administration to stop US research on space pollution, in boon to Elon Musk | Trump administration

the Trump administration It is preparing to kill federal research for satellite pollution and missiles, including some Elon MuskSpace companies, raises new questions about the Spacex billionaire and the owner of Starlink.

The pollution appears to accumulate in the stratosphere at levels that vow by danger. Some fear that it can destroy the ozone layer, and some people may expose it to higher levels of UV rays or help to increase the stability of the Earth’s climate during Climate crisis.

Experts say that the two research projects may have been the possibility of ultimately leading to new logistical regulations, costs or challenges for Musk companies and commercial space industry.

They were part of the Air Research Office in the National Oceanic and Air Country Administration (NOAA), which has now become the Trump administration suggestion To kill. The administration says it “eliminates the federal government’s support for the awakening ideology,” but critics say it protects a prolific donor and a political ally.

“It is clear that there is a political motivation, and Elon Musk’s commercial interests are linked to the work of NOAA,” said Tim Whitehaus, Executive Director of Public Employees of Environmental Responsibility, who submitted a request from the Freedom of Information Law on projects.

Whitehouse added: “These are programs that the government wanted to accumulate, which had support from the two parties, and suddenly they are destroyed without a rhyme, cause or sufficient explanation.”

Starlink provides approximately 7,000 satellites, a wide range of high -range internet for rural customers who cannot access the service in another way. It also provides telecommunications and access to governments and armies. Spacex She is her mother company and develops a group of space missiles.

Since the first Trump administration, the Ministry of Governmental efficiency, led by musk, or Doug, cut the federal government because it is looking for ways to provide money by cutting services and employees. The role of musk – which Trump gave – sparked controversy because he has I stood up to benefit From some of the proposed cuts.

In late 2023, sponsored by Noa Ticket He discovered that the minerals from the spacecraft evaporated because they accumulated the atmosphere in the stratosphere. The February Strategy Measurement Flights will continue. Separately, a multi -space workshop was with a special industry aimed at understanding the scope of the problem and also considering solutions to the cutting block.

Former NOA officials said that both projects were late after the financing was released earlier in the administration, even before the broader NOAA discounts targeted them.

NOAA and Starlink did not respond immediately to request a comment.

As of now, it is believed that the largest part of the pollution comes from the “Cops” of Starlink and Amazon that provides a wide range of internet consisting of about 10,000 satellites. It is expected that up to 100,000 satellites in the orbit of the semi -Earth during a decade as it picks up the satellite race between steam nations.

Space vehicles can cause problems on their way to the top and bottom. A group of emissions such as black carbon, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, aluminum oxide, chlorine gases, and once in orbit, are emitted, Mercury. When the satellites are stopped after five to 15 years, they release minerals while vaporizing them. This is the injecting of pollutants in the previous virgin parts of the stratosphere, which is a very sensitive system, and there is a very little understanding of the consequences.

With the first steps towards meaningful answers to be crushed, Elon Musk and Amazon’s Jeff BezosCurrently, she is effectively responsible for the health of the stratosphere.

Late 2023 sponsored by Noaa Stripper measuring journey The minerals found in the aerosols of sulfuric acids that make up a lot of stratosphere, which are believed to play a major role in regulating the Earth’s temperature. Aerosols may partially act as a “sunscreen” planetary by creating high -level clouds that reflect solar radiation, and they simultaneously prevent greenhouse gases and pollution from entering the ozone layer from the bottom.

Chris Maloni, a researcher at the University of Colorado, who participated in the composition of the 2023 paper on flight flights at Colorado University who participated in the composition of the 2023 paper on flight flights to Litosviri, said that how the minerals of the spacecraft and minerals that occur naturally, minerals and atmosphere are interacting with sulfuric acid, “unknown to a large extent because we do not have notes.”

He added: “We take these small steps to understand this biggest topic.”

Aluminum is a special concern because it is It can be degraded The atmosphere can cause warming. However, increased aluminum can cause the cooling of stratosphere and the surface of the Earth as it reflects solar radiation. John Bardin, an astronomical physicist and industry consultant in environmental issues, said that although this may seem to be a positive development, there are great risks as well.

He added: “The climate is an incredibly complex system, and when you quickly disturb this system, you are facing the risk of chaos.”

Separate 2022 leaves High The problem of launch emissions. The pollutants emitted from the missiles are approximately 500 times in heating the atmosphere, as soot starts from sources such as planes. If the launch rates increase as expected, their emissions It can cause Straphs temperatures to increase by 2C (36F), which would deteriorate ozone across most of the northern hemisphere.

A budget document explaining in detail the journey of measuring the stratosphere said that the goal is to “progress significantly our understanding of the formation of today, chemistry, strategy dynamics and its effects on the climate system.” Previous trips from the air were examined in the northern hemisphere, and this, which was initially planned for the month of January and February, was examined to measure in the southern hemisphere.

Details of the budget document also details of the workshop “The effect of space on the climate of the Earth, the ozone and the upper atmosphere” that would have included the industry. A $ 100,000 workshop in the Spring of 2025 is called “Trade Growth Effects space Industry on the Earth’s atmosphere: research challenges and opportunities.

The former NOAA officials said the new administration was free of funding for both projects, and that it had benefited from Musk.

“These programs are attacked because they contradict strong commercial interests, and the commercial interests that want to destroy programs to achieve their own personal gains,” said Wahatus.

A private employee in the space industry, who also worked with government researchers in the effort, said that the main interests of the government are to understand the formation of space vehicle emissions. The formation of the spacecraft and its fuel is royal information, so researchers need their formula to understand pollution.

While the workshop can lead to new regulations for making commercial spaces, no one, including space companies, knows the size and potential problems.

The employee said: “If they want to cover something, they should know the size and scope of what must be covered.” “The size and scope of the problem can surprise them, and they hate surprises.”

The sources say that there are no instant groups that can fill the strategy of strategy, although the European Space Agency is doing some works on this front.

There is also no clear answer on how to produce spacecraft that are not contaminated because any substance burning will lead to emissions. The presence of fewer satellites is among the best options, but the industry is unlikely to agree well.

Malone said: “Everything that has a smaller effect on the Earth’s system is what we are interested in knowing,” Malone said.