There Are Thousands Of Satellites In Earth’s Orbit — And That Could Be A Problem

GPS navigation, cell service, and countless other modern conveniences are made possible thanks to satellites. But our increased reliance on these orbiting objects comes at a price.

From bad to much worse

As recently as 2010, there were about 1,000 satellites in orbit. Now, that number is about 10 times higher. And over the course of the next decade, companies and governments around the world are planning to launch tens of thousands more.

Environmental advocates are worried about what we know (and what we don’t know) about the impact of all that space debris.

Experts advise that the planned increase in satellite launches could result in up to 21 times more aluminum oxides being released into the atmosphere than the amount that is already there. Furthermore, potentially harmful metals could be released when aging satellites re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.

Worse yet, no one is quite sure what the long-term effects will be. That’s why dozens of scientists are pleading with the Federal Communications Commission to step in and curtail future launches until there’s enough research to address their concerns.

“We should look before we leap,” they wrote in a letter to federal regulators. “The environmental harms of launching and burning up so many satellites aren’t clear.”

Two sides to the story

Of course, those who support launching thousands of new satellites into orbit are singing a different tune.

Elon Musk has pushed back against calls to restrict launches of his SpaceX Starlink satellites — and it remains to be seen whether his close association with President-elect Donald Trump will allow him to help shape national policies on the matter.

And expert Michelle Hanlon argued that the U.S. can’t fix things on its own, adding: “We can shut down the American space industry and there’s still going to be launches.”

Chris Agee November 29th, 2024

Share this story: