Rocket Exhaust Impact on Stratospheric Ozone

The Environmental Management of the Space & Missile Systems Center (SMC) has set out to evaluate the depletion of stratospheric ozone caused by Air Force space activities. Earlier work supported by SMC included an assessment of the impact of deorbiting debris on stratospheric ozone (Reference 1.1) and the potential for reduction of ozone destruction by use of alternate propellants for launch vehicle rocket engines (Reference 1.2). A more recent effort, supported by SMC, addressed the impact of rocket exhaust on stratospheric ozone (Ref. 1.3). This work was an extension of an earlier study reported in Reference 1.4. The methodology described in Ref. 1.3 and 1.4 allows a quantitative assessment of the destruction of stratospheric ozone by rocket exhaust. The present study describes development and application of upgrades to the methodology by including and multiple engine effects as well as the effects of stratospheric winds.