Greenhouse gas emissions could reduce drag in the upper atmosphere, leaving more space debris in orbit and making satellites more vulnerable to damage, according to new research

MIT aerospace engineers have found that greenhouse gas emissions are changing the environment of near-Earth space in ways that, over time, will reduce the number of satellites that can sustainably operate there.

A new study from MIT aerospace engineers reveals that rising carbon dioxide levels are shrinking Earth’s upper atmosphere, leading to long-term consequences for satellites and space debris.The study,

Greenhouse gas emissions are altering not just Earth's climate but also the environment of space. For decades, climate change research has focused on the troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere closest to the planet’s surface.