Astronomers Warn Planned Satellites Threaten Night Sky And Observations

Yet that number is poised to skyrocket. According to a study published in early July by Olivier Hainaut of the European Southern Observatory (Eso) in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, future constellations could push the total count to several hundred thousand, with SpaceX alone holding approval applications for one million new satellites.

Reflect Orbital Tests the Eärendil-1 Satellite to Illuminate Earth at Night

Among the most radical upcoming tests is a project from Reflect Orbital. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a high-profile, bright test satellite named Eärendil-1 in early July. Reflect Orbital plans to use enormous, mirror-like satellites to reflect sunlight at night, lighting up circles at least five kilometers in diameter on the ground. According to company statements, the redirected light is intended to beam onto solar farms, illuminate city centers, aid large rescue operations, and boost crop growth.

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Eärendil-1 is a single satellite and part of a limited, short-term technological test venture. US Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Company co-founder and CEO Ben Nowack expressed enthusiasm for demonstrating the technology, stating that we look forward to showing how our technology works and introducing a transformative, clean technology that the world desperately needs. Because the mirrors are imperfect and age over time, they scatter light, while atmospheric particles further deflect light from stars and satellites alike. This scattering could render existing telescope sites unusable for astronomy.

Astronomers and Biologists Sound the Alarm Over Night Sky Disruption

The transformation of the night sky carries profound consequences beyond professional astronomy. Biologists warn that artificial night illumination disturbs the internal clocks of humans, animals, and plants. Furthermore, Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, voiced deep concern to the New York Times, noting, It scares me that a single country can change the night sky for all people on Earth.

The Eso noted in a statement that from a light-polluted city like Munich, these hundreds of satellites would stand out as the only stars left visible in the night sky.

SpaceX Seeks Approval for One Million Orbiting Data Centers

While Reflect Orbital targets mirror illumination, Elon Musk’s SpaceX pursues a vastly larger footprint. Through a subsidiary, SpaceX applied to the FCC for permission to deploy one million satellites into low Earth orbit. These orbital data centers are designed to operate directly from solar power, functioning as floating computing hubs to satisfy soaring artificial intelligence processing demands efficiently.

While regulators describe Reflect Orbital’s demonstrator as a potentially groundbreaking technology that serves the public interest, the scientific community faces a fundamental clash between commercial space expansion and the preservation of a dark, pristine night sky.