SpaceX Rocket Re-Entry Creates Lithium Plume in Upper Atmosphere, Nature Study Finds

Space junk returning to Earth from SpaceX rocket launches is introducing lithium and other metal pollutants into the pristine upper atmosphere as it burns up on re-entry, according to a new study published in Nature. The research traces a distinct lithium plume in the atmosphere back to returning Falcon 9 rocket stages, raising questions about the environmental impact of the rapidly growing commercial space industry on atmospheric chemistry and the protective ozone layer.