NASA researchers have identified carbon dioxide as the driving force behind the contraction of the Earth's upper atmosphere. While carbon dioxide near the surface raises temperatures in the lower layers, it has the opposite effect in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, causing them to cool and contract. Over the period from 2002 to 2019, these upper atmospheric layers shrank by about 1.3 km, with a projected drop in temperatures of 1.7°C in the coming years.

As a consequence of this phenomenon, the prolonged cooling and contraction of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere will lead to an extension in the duration that space debris remains at high altitudes. This development poses potential challenges for satellite operations and space activities due to the increased presence of debris in these regions.