Astronomers call for a ban on satellite constellations like Elon Musk’s Starlink

Astronomers are calling for a ban on massive light-polluting satellite constellations like Elon Musk’s Starlink. Scientists consider it necessary to counter the “big light” industry against the backdrop of uncontrolled brightening of the night sky.

A ban on megaconstellations of low-altitude satellites – arrays like Elon Musk’s Starlink – should be considered in an attempt to reduce light pollution and preserve humanity’s ability to study the sky, astronomers say.

In a series of papers and opinion pieces published in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists raised the alarm about the brightening night sky, and one panel of experts urged scientists to confront the “big light,” writes The Guardian.

For megaconstellations of low-altitude satellites, the astronomers write, this could mean a veto.

“In terms of immediate or long-term benefit and harm to society, and despite the popularity of satellite megaconstellations, we should not dismiss the possibility of their ban. On the contrary, we believe that the consequences and risks are too high to exclude such a possibility,” they write.

The team of astronomers say it’s unlikely that the organs that contribute to light pollution – whether from ground-based LEDs or other lamps, or from low-altitude satellites – will regulate themselves.

“Every time a health or environmental problem comes up and gets discussed in the scientific literature, the pollutants set in motion a ‘doubt machine’ to stop or at least delay by years or decades the adoption of countermeasures and regulations for protecting human health and the environment,” writes Fabio Falchi of the Scientific and Technical Institute of Light Pollution in Italy.

“In my opinion, there should be a limit on the total number of satellites in low orbits, and the number is probably already too high,” Falci said, and the team wrote that limits should also be placed on artificial lighting at night.

Megaconstellations have more than doubled the number of functional satellites in low Earth orbit since early 2019, with a huge number of launches planned in the coming years. But experts say it came at a price: the illumination of artificial satellites and associated space debris by the sun increased the brightness of the night sky.

“We are witnessing a dramatic, fundamental, and perhaps semi-permanent transformation of the night sky with no historical precedent and limited oversight,” writes John Barentine of Dark Sky Consulting.

According to the authors, one of the problems is that faint astrophysical signals will be increasingly difficult to detect due to the increase in the brightness of the night sky.

“An example with clear and potentially severe social implications is the detection of near-Earth objects that pose a high risk of collision with our planet,” the astronomers write. In addition, the team of scientists notes that the increase in “noise” can lead to a loss in efficiency and, therefore, a greater financial burden on research institutions due to the increase in the time required to collect and combine data.

Satellite trails in astronomical images are another concern, while there is also concern about the impact of increased night sky brightness on biological systems. It also has an impact on the public, who may find it harder to see the Milky Way, familiar constellations, faint auroras and faint meteors.

Overall, scholars suggest that the stakes are too high for inaction. “It is possible for the general public to lose the natural look of the ideal natural starry sky everywhere on Earth,” notes Falchi.