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By Rodrigo Santos Andrade
The space race should not endanger Australian wildlife
visibility comment0 event September 24, 2026 timer 02:00
The future of a proposed rocket-launch facility in South Australia is uncertain. But tensions between space exploration and conservation remain.
The race to space continues, with the number of rockets launched increasing every year.
Most of these send satellites into orbit. A smaller number are for defence operations, space exploration and space tourism.
Australia has two existing rocket-launch facilities: the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland and the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.
Australian aerospace company Southern Launch, the operator of the Koonibba Test Range, has proposed a new coastal rocket-launch facility for Whalers Way on SA’s Eyre Peninsula. Over in Western Australia, the state government has thrown its support behind plans to build a spaceport across multiple sites.
Space facilities are often built in areas rich in wildlife, including many species already under threat from habitat destruction, climate change and H5N1 bird flu.
That raises the question: how can we explore space without harming ecosystems on Earth?
When rockets and nature collide
Rocket-launch facilities are typically built in coastal or desert areas away from human populations. This is to protect people from excess noise, falling debris and uncontrolled explosions from failed launches.
Given Australia’s coastal areas are home to a spectacular array of plants and animals, this creates a potential conflict between rocket launches and nearby nature. The proposed Whalers Way facility, for instance, would be built in a nature reserve that is home to more than 700 native species, including two endangered birds and the endangered Australian sea lion.
This conflict is not unique to Australia. A recent international study found more than 60% of the world’s rocket-launch facilities are located in or close to nature reserves, threatening global conservation efforts.
Building and operating coastal rocket-launch facilities can harm wildlife in various ways, including by:
causing habitat destruction
creating extreme noise, with the sound of a rocket launch being loud enough to cause physical trauma to the ears, lungs and brains of nearby animals, and physiological stress to nesting birds and their eggs
releasing chemicals, contained in rocket propellants or falling debris, which can contaminate the site
sparking uncontrolled explosions
increasing fire risk.
Indirect environmental consequences may include:
using huge amounts of fuel, such as refined petroleum or liquid methane, which contributes to global warming and ozone reduction
releasing debris known as space junk into orbit, which creates a safety risk to people and space infrastructure.
Read more:
SpaceX rocket left behind a plume of chemical pollution as it burnt up in the atmosphere
Who decides where rocket launchers go?
In Australia, the Australian Space Agency regulates civil space activities under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018.
A company seeking to operate a rocket-launch facility must apply for a licence, as well as permits for each launch or series of launches. Prospective operators must also receive approval under relevant federal and state environmental law.
As with other types of development, environmental groups and local residents can comment on proposals for new space facilities. The proposed Whalers Way facility would be located in a Heritage Agreement reserve, a place protected for nature in perpetuity under SA law. This has sparked widespread community opposition. Further, a ruling from the Native Vegetation Council has called the future of the project into question.
This represents a win for local residents and wildlife. However, the ruling could still be overturned by the SA government.
Read more:
Comet, rocket, space junk or meteor? Here’s how to tell your fireballs apart
Where to from here?
Never before have humans built so many commercial launch facilities and sent so many rockets into space.
As this technology rapidly advances, so must our research.
Given modern rockets are much louder than cars or aeroplanes, existing information on how vehicle noise affects wildlife is not particularly relevant to rocket launches.
We urgently need new research to measure the noise and blast waves experienced by animals close to rocket launches. Studies should examine how these sounds – including those at frequencies humans can’t hear – affect the behaviour, survival and reproductive success of local species.
Research should also investigate the long-term impacts on wildlife, such as whether regular rocket launches lead to declining populations or even local extinction.
Crucially, governments must assess which sites are most suitable for new launch facilities. Whalers Way, as pointed out by local residents and conservationists, does not fall into this category. But other places, such as Koonibba or cleared coastal sites west of Ceduna, could allow Australia to grow its space ambitions while protecting precious wildlife.
Read more:
Curious Kids: how exactly does a spaceship get into space?
Kirsten Parris has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Environmental Science Program.Hugh Possingham receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is employed by the University of Queensland and Accounting for Nature. He sits on the Native Vegetation Council of South Australia, chairs the Advisory Council of the Environment Institute at Adelaide University, is president (pro bono) of BirdLife Australia, and an advisor (pro bono) to numerous not-for-profits and governments on environmental matters.
Tags: Academic Journalism, The Conversation, The Conversation Academic News
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