Satellites spend most of their time high above Earth. But getting to orbit and coming back down can have big impacts on Earth’s atmosphere. Booster rockets add a lot of water vapor and other compounds to the atmosphere, which could have an impact on the climate.

And a recent study found that satellites burning up in the atmosphere could be a problem for the ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun’s harmful radiation.

The study looked at the number of satellites in orbit today, and the number that could be in orbit in the future. Most of those satellites are small craft that provide Internet service. Today, there are more than 6,000 of them. And the pace is picking up, as companies plan to launch tens of thousands more.

Most of those satellites will fall to Earth after a few years. The satellites contain a lot of aluminum, so as they burn up, tiny bits of aluminum enter the upper atmosphere. They form particles of aluminum dioxide – a compound that creates chemical reactions that destroy ozone. The particles can remain in the atmosphere for decades.

Today, satellite debris adds about 30 percent to the amount of aluminum dioxide in the atmosphere. But the study says that years from now, it could jump to about 650 percent – an addition that could further damage Earth’s ozone layer.

Script by Damond Benningfield