Billionaire space race can add to global warming

Global warming is already an issue that has started showing effects like devastating cyclones, floods to name just two. In spite of global efforts, the amount of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is not at the desired level.

Add to that the emerging trend of commercial space travel. Last week, Richard Branson travelled to the edge of space. Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos is making similar plans and SpaceX's Elon Musk may draw up something similar too.

All of these men are eager to make commercial space travel a reality. And there are many takers. People are ready to spend millions for a ticket to literally out of this world experience.

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But the seemingly big leap for rich mankind may have harmful effects for our planet. A single rocket launch deposits tonnes of Carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere.The Guardian quoted an associate professor of physical geography at University College, London on this. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. So in turn, rocket launches may be contributing to global warming.

The Carbon dioxide deposited in the upper atmosphere stays there for a long time, about two to three years. This may amplify the effect it causes on global warming. At that height, even water vapour can have devastating effect.

Fortunately, number of rocket launches into the space is much much lower than commercial air traffic. This means that fuel used in aeroplanes may currently be more than that used in rocket launches.

But what if space travel becomes as cheap as air travel? We would really need to find solution to this problem.