Reacción a "Lithium pollution from Falcon 9 re-entry into the atmosphere measured for the first time"

The study is based on direct laser measurements from the ground and advanced atmospheric models, so its methodology is robust and consistent with the current state of science. It is consistent with previous studies that had already detected metals re-entering the stratosphere and warned of the growing impact of space traffic, but it adds an important new element: this is the first time that a lithium plume from the re-entry of a Falcon 9 has been observed and tracked in time and altitude, demonstrating that pollution can be detected even at an altitude of around 100 km.

As a limitation, this is a single event and does not yet allow for an assessment of the cumulative impact on the climate or the ozone layer. In practice, the study is relevant because it shows that it is possible to monitor the atmospheric footprint of satellites and rockets, and suggests that, given the increase in re-entries, it is advisable to strengthen international monitoring, improve inventories of materials used and preventively assess their possible long-term environmental effects.