SpaceX Starship Explosion May Have Caused Air Pollution Event

When SpaceX’s starship exploded during flight testing on January 16, 2025, researcher Connor Barker estimated that the event may have released about 45.5 tons of metal oxides and 40 tons of reactive nitrogen into the upper atmosphere and may have accounted for as much as 35 percent of the aluminum that enters the atmosphere from meteors each year. The explosion caused flights to be rerouted, and the FAA initiated the Wreckage Response Era. Studies have shown that aluminum oxides may cause depletion of the ozone layer and metal particles may weaken the Earth’s magnetic field.