Satellite launches and reentries are altering atmospheric chemistry and physics in the middle and upper atmosphere, contributing to ozone depletion, stratospheric warming, and metal aerosols. This is a well-established research area — by the 2030s, re-entering satellites could inject thousands to tens of thousands of tonnes of alumina and other metals into the middle atmosphere annually. The atmospheric impact comes from burning up satellites to clear orbital debris, a practice mandated to prevent space collisions. What makes this less visible: most people have no idea how much material is raining down from reentries, and satellite builders rarely disclose what their spacecraft are made of.