Environmental groups and scientists have submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warning that plans to launch millions of orbital data centers
could be “catastrophic” for the planet and permanently alter the Earth’s atmosphere, according to reports from NewsNation and The Guardian.
The push for space-based computing comes as big tech companies face fierce public opposition to building traditional warehouse-sized data centers in communities across America. In response, companies including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin have sought FCC approval for these orbital facilities. Specifically, Starlink filed for one million orbital AI data centers in January, according to CNET.
Atmospheric and Environmental Risks
While a single space data center consists of a small box containing computing units, the overall size of the object is approximately 70% the size of the International Space Station due to the requirement for large radiators and solar panels, Cole Donovan, director of science policy and advocacy for Stand Up for Science, told NewsNation. These objects would orbit Earth roughly once every 90 minutes in extensive rows.
Scientists have raised significant alarms regarding the materials used in these centers. According to NewsNation, data centers rely on aluminum, which poses a greater risk to the ozone layer than materials used in regular satellites. Donovan cited a study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory suggesting that the volume of aluminum entering the atmosphere under these projections could potentially impact the ozone and change the Earth’s winds.
Additional concerns detailed by The Guardian include the release of pollutants during rocket launches and satellite re-entry. These include:
- Black carbon and soot
- Aluminum oxides and rare metals
- Nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide
- Chlorine gases and mercury
Some scientists fear this pollution could destroy the ozone layer, expose humans to higher levels of ultraviolet radiation, and further destabilize the planet during the current climate crisis.
Impact on the Night Sky and Astronomy
The petition also highlights the visual and biological impact of massive satellite constellations. Ruskin Hartley, executive director of DarkSky International, stated that these projects could permanently alter the night sky as we know it.
Advocates noted that light pollution contributes to the die-off of insects, such as fireflies, and disrupts animals that rely on darkness.
Orbital Crowding and Collision Hazards
The proposal arrives during a period of exponential growth in orbital activity. The number of active satellites grew from approximately 1,400 in 2015 to about 15,000 currently, with expectations that 100,000 will be in orbit within the decade, excluding data center networks, according to The Guardian. SpaceX’s Starlink currently operates more than 10,000 satellites, while Amazon plans to launch 60,000, according to CNET.
This crowding increases the risk of Kessler's Syndrome,
a scenario where collisions trigger an unstoppable chain reaction of destruction that could halt the space industry. According to Investor’s Business Daily, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites performed nearly 356,000 collision avoidance maneuvers over the past year. Between December and May, Gen 1 and Gen 2 satellites performed 207,152 maneuvers, a 39% increase over the previous six-month period.
The danger is exacerbated by the speed of orbital debris, which travels at an average of 17,500 miles per hour. Debris as small as 1 millimeter can penetrate robotic spacecraft in low-Earth orbit, and objects as small as 0.4 mm can be fatal to astronauts, Investor’s Business Daily reported.
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