No more than 100 000 faint satellites should orbit Earth
4 hours ago
- #light pollution
- #astronomy impact
- #satellite constellations
- A new ESO study warns that current proposals to launch over 1.7 million satellites, including extremely bright ones, would have 'devastating consequences for astronomy'.
- The study suggests that to protect astronomical observations, no more than 100,000 faint satellites (below naked-eye visibility) should orbit Earth.
- SpaceX plans to send one million more satellites for space-based data centers, and Reflect Orbital aims to launch 50,000 large mirror-like satellites by 2035 to provide sunlight at night.
- Simulations show that satellite constellations would create bright trails in telescope images and increase overall sky brightness, with Reflect Orbital's full fleet making the sky up to 3–4 times brighter.
- The study calls for limiting total satellites to 100,000 faint ones to mitigate impacts, highlighting threats to observing faint cosmic targets, health, and the environment.
- ESO, with partners, has responded to FCC filings by SpaceX and Reflect Orbital, urging regulators to address this 'existential threat' to optical astronomy.