Satellite surge sparks environmental concerns in orbit
According to scientists, SpaceX's Starlink satellites, as well as other large constellations created by companies such as OneWeb, Amazon, and even the Chinese government, may have a dangerous impact on Earth's atmosphere. Studies show that satellites pose a threat to the ozone layer, which protects Earth from intense solar radiation.
At the end of October 2024, over 100 scientists, including astronomers, appealed to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to halt the launch of new communication satellites until the agency evaluates the environmental impact of the planned megaconstellations. About 10,000 satellites are currently in low Earth orbit, but experts estimate that by 2030, this number could reach up to 58,000.
More and more satellites in space
Many private entities, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, are the undisputed leaders and regularly bolster their constellations with new devices. Since the beginning of 2024, SpaceX has conducted 117 Falcon 9 rocket launches, with 81 related to deploying Starlinks into low Earth orbit. Data from November 2024, presented by Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell, indicate that there are currently 6,764 satellites belonging to SpaceX in orbit, with 6,714 still operational.
Elon Musk plans to further expand his constellation. If allowed by U.S. federal authorities, he wants it to grow to as many as 30,000 devices. SpaceX is not the only company creating its own megaconstellations. Similar ambitions are held by OneWeb and Amazon, although the number of satellites launched by these companies into low Earth orbit is incomparably smaller than in SpaceX's case.
In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, scientists noted that "the environmental damage caused by launching and burning so many satellites is not clear. This is because the federal government has not conducted an analysis of their environmental impact to understand the effects. We know that more satellites and more launches lead to more harmful gases and metals in our atmosphere."
"We should not rush into launching satellites on such a scale without ensuring that the benefits justify the potential consequences of launching these new mega-constellations and then re-entering them into our atmosphere to burn or create debris," they added in the document. They also call on regulatory bodies to ask themselves whether we really need many constellations competing for the same limited space.
Satellites may harm the environment
Business Insider points out that the rocket launches used to place satellites into low Earth orbit contribute to the emission of carbon dioxide and soot. These can trigger processes that destroy Earth's protective ozone layer. Additionally, satellites burning up in the Earth's atmosphere release metals such as aluminum. The article also recalls research published in June 2024 in the prestigious scientific journal "Geophysical Research Letters."
The mentioned studies suggest that during re-entry into the atmosphere, melting parts of satellites emit aluminum oxide. Experts believe it can persist in the atmosphere for decades and cause "significant depletion of the ozone layer," which plays a very important role for life on Earth as it absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths below 295 nm. However, the negative impact of burning satellites on the ozone layer is not the only concern. Scientists warn that with the increasing number of satellites sent into orbit, there may be effects that we are not yet aware of.
