how much pollution is given out when a space shuttle launches?

[peterbar]

Given that the astronauts a concerned about the environment etc, how much damage does a launch do to the environment?

[MargeB]

Heh, first thing I thought of when I saw that mammoth take off.

I believe that the 'explosive mix' is hydrogen and oxygen, giving off a lot of steam, and not much else.

[stevepj]

I'm not sure about pollution, but I seem to remember seeing a science documentary once that included a shuttle launch. The narrator said that the contrails(?) left by the shuttles engines and rocket boosters actually had the effect of causing it to rain on the launch site.

[jake-the-peg]

There are a number of fuels used - this is a buch better answer than I could give:

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/oct2000/973014746.Es.r.html

However what he doesn't mention is that the hypergolic fuels used in the manoevering products may be OK when burnt but they're very nasty before hand you wouldn't want to be around breathing them if there was a leak

[stoo_pid]

Bit more info here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4130980.stm