[Watsey]

I wouldn't say it's outright hypocrisy, more like evolution.

Go back 30 years and cars were basic, thirsty, running on leaded fuel. They've modernised and become more efficient, perhaps not always in terms of real-life mpg but certainly in terms of overall air quality (emissions). Except for, say, the US (a developed nation, not third world) where the improvements (adoption) in fuel efficient cars has been more recent (but the F150 pickup is still a massive seller).

30 years ago achieving orbit was in its infancy. It didn't bring much to the development of mankind, i.e. the masses, except for the realisation that we'd finally cleared the gravitational pull of our own planet and theoretically could travel to the stars. The bigger benefit of course comes through the technological leap in communications and information that springboards our way of life to a much more advanced level. That may be thx availability of HD porn to a mud hut, but what if it was you in that mud hut

To a large degree market forces will dictate how many times rockets and satellites are launched. Land, sea and air transport generates far more pollution - that's where the real problem lies.