ESO Warns 1.7 Million Satellites Could Brighten Night Sky 4-Fold

3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jul 1

1.7 million planned satellites would have “devastating consequences” for astronomy, ESO said, warning the surge from today’s 14,000 objects could make ground-based observations increasingly unusable.
50,000 proposed Reflect Orbital mirror satellites alone could make the whole night sky up to four times brighter, while ESO said almost all images from Chile’s Vera C. Rubin Observatory would be spoiled.
100,000 satellites should be the maximum and they should be dim enough to be invisible to the naked eye, lead researcher Olivier Hainaut said, calling the current proposals an existential threat.
FCC approval is still pending for SpaceX and Reflect Orbital constellations, and ESO said its new study underpins objections filed with the Royal Astronomical Society and International Astronomical Union.
Beyond astronomy, ESO said nearly 2 million satellites could worsen ecosystem-disrupting light pollution, add launch-related environmental costs and raise collision risks tied to Kessler syndrome.

Sources

Euronews11h ago

ESO Warns 1.7 Million Planned Satellites Pose "Devastating" Threat to Astronomy, Brightening Night Sky

Space.com9h ago

The growing number of satellites in orbit could soon make telescopes obsolete. 'For astronomy, this would obviously be catastrophic' | Space

The Straits Times3h ago

Planned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: Study | The Straits Times

9 Sources

Will corporate plans for 1.7 million satellites permanently erase our view of the cosmos?

Who decides the fate of the night sky in the race for satellite supremacy?

The Existential Threat of Satellite Megaconstellations: How Millions of New Satellites Could Destroy the Night Sky, Science, and Earth's Environment

Overview

The night sky is facing an unprecedented and existential threat due to the rapid proliferation of satellite megaconstellations. Astronomy advocacy groups are urgently warning that these proposed constellations, led by companies like SpaceX and Reflect Orbital, could permanently alter the sky and even 'turn night into day.' This poses a serious risk to optical astronomy, as highlighted by experts such as Betty Kioko from the European Southern Observatory. Both SpaceX and Reflect Orbital have filed plans with the FCC for massive new constellations and are currently awaiting approval to launch their ambitious projects, raising concerns about the future of astronomical research and our view of the cosmos.

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