Presentation short abstract

By December 2025, there were approx. 284 successful annual rocket launches. This democratizes space industrialization yet poses serious ecological and atmospheric concerns. We explore the challenging frontiers of NewSpace to life on Earth, at the nexus of bioethics and the emergent techno-verse.

Presentation long abstract

A recent gathering of the International Astronautical Society, enthusiasticly discussed doubling current global launch schedules. In 2023, orbital launch attempts reached a record high of 223; more than 2,800 satellites were deployed into orbit. By December 2025, there were approximately 284 successful annual rocket launches. This democratizes our dynamic space industrialization. Yet, nothing was mentioned of increasing environmental concerns the space launch industry is posing for the upper atmosphere and ozone layers. We are aware of challenges of lingering black carbon soot, and chemical pollutants from re-entry vehicle combustion. No regulatory regime is or has been proposed. A few companies are taking this atmospheric threat from our burgeoning space industry seriously and meeting the challenge. One such company is AIRCO, literally AIR COMPANY. Deeply invested in Carbon Capture materials creation, they are developing sustainable rocket fuels from CO2, sequestered from the air mixed with green hydrogen – possibly even on Mars. A multi-award-winning company, they have contracts with Virgin Atlantic, NASA and others. SKYRORA, a Scottish based company operating across Europe, designs, manufactures and deploys rockets to insure smaller satellite manufacturers space access. They have developed technology to transform unrecyclable plastics into sustainable rocket fuels; invest in local schools and communities. Yet, what of the atmospheric pollutants from reentry vehicles?; the increasing saturation of night skies with satellite trails?; and ecological impacts to Earth from burgeoning space port dynamics? We explore the challenging frontiers of NewSpace to life on Earth, at the nexus of bioethics and the emergent techno-verse.