Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!usc!rutgers!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!midway!msuinfo!news From: draper@cps3xx.cps.msu.edu (Patrick J Draper) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: The shuttle is destroying the ozone layer? Message-ID: <1990Oct20.073254.23197@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> Date: 20 Oct 90 07:32:54 GMT References: <143360@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> <10314.2711c063@pbs.org> <1990Oct10.221645.29969@pmafire.UUCP> <1990Oct19.022310.14985@midway.uchicago.edu> Sender: news@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu Reply-To: draper@cps3xx.cps.msu.edu (Patrick J Draper) Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Michigan State University Lines: 30 In article <1990Oct19.022310.14985@midway.uchicago.edu> esm1@quads.uchicago.edu (Eric S. Mendelsohn) writes: >I'm sorry if this subject has been discussed to death, but I'm new to this news >group and couldn't find many old posts. If someone has a collection of answers >to these questions, please e-mail 'em and earn my gratitude! > >I heard the other day that each shuttle launch releases an enormous quantity >of ozone-destroying gasses into the upper atmosphere, and according to one >(believable?) study, the current flight schedule will cause 10% of the pro- >jected ozone depletion in the next 5 (or 10?) years. Anyone know the facts >about what the shuttle dumps out in a typical flight? Is anyone concerned >about the impact of these discharges? Is there an alternative fuel that would >have less environmental impact without requiring a major redisign? Realistic- >ally, will these issues even be considered by NASA? > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Eric Mendelsohn When all is said and done, >Internet: esm1@midway.uchicago.edu More is said than done. Let's see now..... The shuttle burns H2 as fuel (hydrogen). The oxidizer is O2 (oxygen). If I'm correct, the reaction is thus: 2H + O ---> H O (water) 2 2 2 I doubt that mother earth minds too much. Patrick Draper ------ Michigan State University