This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The race to space continues, with the number of rockets launched increasing every year. Most of these send satellites into orbit.
A smaller number are for defense operations, space exploration and space tourism. Australia has two existing rocket-launch facilities: the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland and the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. Australian aerospace company Southern Launch, the operator of the Koonibba Test Range, has proposed a new coastal rocket-launch facility for Whalers Way on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.
In Western Australia, the state government has thrown its support behind plans to build a spaceport across multiple sites. Space facilities are often built in areas rich in wildlife, including many species already under threat from habitat destruction, climate change and H5N1 bird flu. That raises the question: How can we explore space without harming ecosystems on Earth?
Rocket-launch facilities are typically built in coastal or desert areas away from human populations. This is to protect people from excess noise, falling debris and uncontrolled explosions from failed launches. Because Australia's coastal areas are home to a spectacular array of plants and animals, rocket launches can conflict with nearby nature.
The proposed Whalers Way facility, for instance, would be built in a nature reserve that is home to more than 700 native species, including two endangered birds and the endangered Australian sea lion. This conflict is not unique to Australia. A recent international study found more than 60% of the world's rocket-launch facilities are located in or close to nature reserves, threatening global conservation efforts.
Building and operating coastal rocket-launch facilities can harm wildlife in various ways, including by: Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. d research that matter—daily or weekly. Indirect environmental consequences may include: In Australia, the Australian Space Agency regulates civil space activities under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018. A company seeking to operate a rocket-launch facility must apply for a license, as well as permits for each launch or series of launches.
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