Groups Petition FCC to Halt Orbital Data Centers Over Environmental Risks

Coalition Petitions FCC Over Environmental Risks

A group of organizations, including Earthjustice, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer), and DarkSky International, has formally petitioned the FCC to pause the licensing of orbital data centers. The groups argue that the current path of rapid satellite deployment violates the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions.

The coalition contends that tech companies are pushing forward with these projects while refusing to engage in meaningful inquiry regarding their impacts. But these same proponents have refused to embrace any inquiry into the impacts of their self-claimed epochal technology on the environment, science, economy, or other values.

Threats to Astronomy and the Night Sky

For the professional astronomy community, the surge in satellite launches presents a significant operational hazard. Astronomers report that satellites are significantly brighter than the distant objects they aim to study, such as galaxies and asteroids.

“It would make our taxpayer-funded telescope time much less effective. We could do a lot less science for the same cost, and many science cases, including the search for dangerous near-Earth asteroids, would be seriously compromised.”

Samantha Lawler, astronomer at the University of Regina, via starlust.org

Beyond the loss of observational clarity, there are physical safety concerns.

Atmospheric Pollution and Orbital Sustainability

The environmental impact extends into the upper atmosphere. Scientists have identified that as satellites and rockets burn up during re-entry, they release black soot, aluminum oxides, and rare metals into the stratosphere.

Furthermore, the cooling requirements for orbital data centers present an engineering challenge. Because space lacks air or water to dissipate heat, these platforms would require massive ammonia-filled radiators. Critics argue that the launch costs and the environmental footprint of these heavy-lift requirements, such as the liquid methane burned by SpaceX’s Starship, undermine the claim that moving computing to space is a sustainable alternative to terrestrial data centers.

Competitive Landscape and Regulatory Outlook

Major tech figures, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are driving the push for orbital infrastructure, citing the potential for 24/7 solar energy access. However, the economic feasibility remains contested; experts suggest that launch costs would need to fall below $200 per kilogram for these projects to compete with Earth-based facilities.

As of late July, the regulatory environment is in flux. The FCC is preparing to vote on overhauling its satellite application process to streamline rollouts, a move that environmental groups fear will further accelerate the deployment of these constellations without sufficient oversight. Earthjustice has indicated it is prepared to pursue legal action if the commission continues to grant licenses while ignoring the environmental concerns raised by the coalition.