Astronomers are sounding the alarm over new space projects that they claim will “permanently scar” the night sky and hinder scientific progress. Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, described the situation as “really intolerable,” arguing that these projects represent the destruction of a central part of human heritage. The primary concern lies with SpaceX’s latest proposal to launch one million satellites designed as orbital data centers for AI computing. Estimates suggest that if approved, these satellites could outnumber visible stars in the night sky by a significant margin, with one in every 15 visible points of light being an artificial object. Additionally, a project by Reflect Orbital to place 50,000 mirrors in orbit—each reflecting light four times brighter than a full moon—threatens to eliminate true darkness entirely.
The impact on professional astronomy is already being felt. Researchers at the European Southern Observatory note that current satellite streaks already interfere with ground-based observations, but a million-satellite fleet could result in a 10% to 30% loss of data per image. Beyond the visual pollution, scientists are concerned about radio frequency interference and the environmental impact of thousands of satellites burning up in the atmosphere annually, which could damage the ozone layer. Despite SpaceX’s previous efforts to darken their satellites, astronomers argue that the sheer scale of the new proposals makes mitigation impossible. With the FCC currently reviewing these applications, the International Astronomical Union and other global bodies are calling for a “red-line policy” to limit the total number of satellites in orbit before the view of the cosmos is lost forever.
