Space waste: An update of the anthropogenic matter injection into Earth’s atmosphere Large satellite constellations are one of the main reasons for an increasing amount of mass being brought into low Earth orbit in recent years. After …

“In 2024, 24 elements were dominating the meteoric injection compared to 18 in 2015. ... This indicates a substantial risk of long-term adverse effects on the atmosphere such as ozone depletion, radiative effects and changes in cloud formation.”

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Blue Origin Comment (April 2026) April 20, 2026 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 ) In re: Application for launch and operating aut...

We just filed an FCC comment opposing Blue Origin's "Project Sunrise", a plan to launch 51,600 satellites for orbital data centers. We urge the Commission to mandate a rigorous environmental review to protect our shared night sky and orbital ecosystem.

www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/publ...

Starcloud Comment (April 2026) Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 via ICFS Electronic Filing ) In re: Application for launch and operating ) authority for the Starcloud...

🚨 Just filed: Our FCC comment on Starcloud’s 88,000-satellite constellation. We go beyond space debris to tackle the "greenwashing" of orbital AI and putting private AI demand over the public commons.

Read our comment in full here: www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/publ...

"Artemis mission cannot lead to interplanetary Wild West," astronomer warns Professor Mike Lockwood is concerned that there is "talk about the Artemis program paving the way for mining of the Moon."

"A senior astronomer has warned that NASA’s Artemis program must not become a vehicle for unregulated commercial activity in space, arguing that the return of human to the #moon should be governed by clear international rules — rather than a 'frontier mentality.'"

www.newsweek.com/artemis-miss...

SpaceX satellite breakup highlights concerns over ‘megaconstellation’ The Starlink failure comes as SpaceX moves forward on building an orbital data center using up to 1 million of the satellites.

"For the second time in three months, a SpaceX satellite has failed and broken up over Earth, highlighting concerns over the company’s plan to increase its network to more than a million satellites."

www.expressnews.com/business/art...

‘This feels fragile’: how a satellite-smashing chain reaction could spiral out of control Today, the space around Earth can no longer be considered empty. More than 30,000 objects are in orbit, and that figure is rising exponentially

"The big fear is that future collisions will cause a domino effect where Earth’s orbit becomes cluttered. That could create a near-impenetrable layer of debris that would make space launches so dangerous it would essentially trap humans on Earth."

www.theguardian.com/science/ng-i...

Apollo 8: Earthrise - NASA This iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon.

The Apollo 8 Earthrise photo kick-started the environmental movement on Earth. It also portrayed the Moon as dead and uninteresting by contrast with Earth. No-one seems to see the Moon as a fragile (abiotic) ecosystem worthy of protection. #ArtemisII 🧪

Reflect Orbital Reply Comment (2026) March 30, 2026 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 ) In the Matter of: Reflect Orbital Inc. ) ICFS File No. SAT-LOA-20250701-00129 ) ...

Today CSE filed our Reply Comment with the US FCC challenging Reflect Orbital's application to commercialize the night sky. We maintain that the FCC must uphold legal mandates by requiring comprehensive environmental review.

Read our full filing here: www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/publ...

Why Is NASA Spending $100 Billion to Return to the Moon? Depends on Who You Ask NASA pulled off the moon landing in 1969 with a clear goal from the outset — to be the first nation to put people on the lunar surface.

"NASA pulled off the moon landing in 1969 with a clear goal from the outset: to be the first nation to put boots on the lunar surface. Now, NASA is heading back with its Artemis program. But why spend nearly $100 billion to repeat a journey NASA has already made?"

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

"A dramatic rise in the number of satellites on orbit is increasing the amount of space debris, posing a critical threat to the capabilities of America’s national space systems, Maj. Gen. Chris Povak, deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, said Monday."

www.nro.gov/news-media-f...

One million new satellites could soon transform night into day on Earth With satellites, companies are creating a great night light in the sky. Our biology might struggle to keep up, Northeastern experts said.

"Between SpaceX’s plans to launch 1 million satellites and Reflect Orbital’s sunlight reflecting space mirrors, private companies could change the way our night sky looks. In fact, it could look more like daytime. For life on Earth, that could spell disaster."

news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/24/s...

Thanks to Leonard David for covering our recent comments to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on SpaceX's 1 million orbital data centers and Reflect Orbital's "sunlight as a service" #satellite applications.

www.leonarddavid.com/orbital-data...

#FCC #Space #SpaceEnvironment

'This is really intolerable': Astronomers protest giant orbiting mirror project and SpaceX's million AI satellites "It's absolutely the destruction of a central part of human heritage."

CSE's John Barentine: "The fact that they have fast-tracked this application, which has potentially tremendous effects not only for astronomy but for the environment too, and to do so without engaging in a full environmental review, is worrisome."

www.space.com/space-explor...

An AI cyberattack could trigger a satellite apocalypse in the next 2 years. Are we prepared? "You only need to affect one satellite's actions to cause problems."

"Cyber security researchers are already using AI to identify zero-day vulnerabilities to alert operators and help them patch the problems before hackers could exploit them. But attackers can take advantage of those advanced systems to find those holes more quickly."

www.space.com/space-explor...

More than 10,000 SpaceX Starlink spacecraft now orbit Earth—and the satellite surge shows no sign of stopping Once unfathomable, the milestone of a single company having 10,000 satellites operating overhead signals that the era of mega constellations is here to stay

"'Starlink has changed our relationship with space,' says Hugh Lewis, a space debris expert at the University of Birmingham in England. 'The character of the night sky is no longer the same as it once was, and I’m not sure it will ever be again.'"

www.scientificamerican.com/article/spac...

SpaceX plan for 1 million orbiting AI data centers could ruin astronomy, scientists say "This is a challenge unlike any we have encountered thus far in this new era of commercial space."

"'The fact that they have fast-tracked this application, which has potentially tremendous effects not only for astronomy but for the environment too, and to do so without engaging in a full environmental review, is worrisome.'"

www.space.com/space-explor...

#Space #SpaceX #DataCenters

Amid Crowded Skies, FAA Kills Rule Aimed at Regulating Space Junk The agency once said that pieces of space debris “pose a significant risk,” but the Trump administration has backed off a rule that would have required companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX to remove rock...

"The Trump administration is backing off a rule aimed at stopping commercial space companies from leaving rocket bodies in Earth’s orbit, a practice that experts say could threaten public safety and telecommunications."

www.propublica.org/article/faa-...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceDebris

ANALYSIS | SpaceX wants to launch a million satellites. Here's how that could impact us here on Earth | CBC News Scientists are deeply concerned about SpaceX's recent proposal to launch one million satellites into orbit around Earth. Their concerns range from a loss of the natural night sky and our access to spa...

"Most of humanity has a great propensity to think in the short-term, but generally, long-term considerations just aren't our thing. That's partly why scientists are deeply concerned about a recent SpaceX proposal to launch one million satellites into orbit around Earth."

www.cbc.ca/news/science...

A Big Night Light in the Sky? Start-Up Wants to Launch a Space Mirror.

"A start-up company wants to light up the night with 50,000 big mirrors orbiting Earth. Opponents say the mirrors could distract airplane pilots, mess up astronomical observations and interfere with circadian rhythms."

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/c...

#Space #Environment #SunlightAsAService

Space is cooling down – here's why it matters to the planet As the climate warms below, the edge of space is cooling down – and it could soon disrupt essential communication networks

"This shift is colliding with a massive surge in satellite launches. ... The study warns that if we exceed orbital capacity, we could trigger 'runaway instability' – a cascade of collisions creating so much debris that satellites can no longer safely operate.'"

geographical.co.uk/science-envi...

Reflect Orbital (2026) March 4, 2026 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 via ICFS Electronic Filing In the Matter of: Reflect Orbital Inc. ICFS File No. SAT-LOA-20250701-00129 COMMENTS OF T...

CSE has submitted public comments to the U.S. FCC on two pending applications relating to the #SpaceEnvironment:

(1) Reflect Orbital's prototype satellite; www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/publ...

(2) SpaceX's "1M orbital data centers" proposal; www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/publ...

Constant Space Launches Turning Earth's Atmosphere Into a "Crematorium," Scientists Say Thousands of expendable satellites are falling into the Earth's atmosphere and turning it into a polluted "crematorium."

"Constant space launches are turning the atmosphere into a 'crematorium' for satellites and other space debris. That was the warning from a trio of astronomers and atmospheric scientists in a new essay for The Conversation."

futurism.com/space/space-...

#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceDebris #Pollution

Sorry, SpaceX: It’s Getting Too Crowded Up There

"Elon Musk's space technology company, SpaceX, recently asked the U.S. government for permission to launch 1 million satellites. ... These proposals have drawn scorn from critics who say orbital data centers would be too costly and technologically out of reach."

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/c...

Two satellite proposals threaten dark and quiet skies worldwide Giant mirrors in space to create sunlight at night and an AI data center made up of 1-million satellites are undergoing regulatory approval. How did we get here?

"Access to the night sky is a crucial part of our scientific, religious, and cultural practices across the globe. Right now, one government agency has the power to completely alter the night sky as we know it."

astrobites.org/2026/02/26/r...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceX #DataCenters

Column | We’re about to turn night into day. Is that a good idea? Proposals before the FCC involve mirrors that could bathe entire cities in sunlight and, from SpaceX, a million satellites to serve as data centers.

"Two little-noted applications under review by the Federal Communications Commission would, if fully implemented, fundamentally remake the night sky. But the FCC, the satellite regulator, appears to have fast-tracked approval without much of a pause."

www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Elon Musk Wants To Put 1 Million Satellites Into Space. The FCC is Asking For Opinions It’s unclear if it's even feasible, but it would be a danger to space exploration, astronomy, and even our health.

"The FCC is looking at two proposals that could massively affect the night sky. One is mirrors in space that would reflect sunlight on demand during the night. The other is an unprecedented request for a 1-million-satellite megaconstellation."

www.iflscience.com/elon-musk-wa...

Too many satellites? Earth’s orbit is on track for a catastrophe – but we can stop it Cultural, spiritual, and most environmental impacts aren’t taken into account when launching thousands of satellites.

CSE's own Prof. Samantha Lawler (University of Regina) has a new article in @theconversation.com in which she argues that the rapid expansion of satellite megaconstellations poses a catastrophic threat to Earth's orbit and the cultural heritage of the night sky.

theconversation.com/too-many-sat...

Loosely Regulated Commercial Space Travel Poses An Environmental Threat A new study underscores growing unease about pollution from mostly unregulated commercial space activities.

"International agreements covering rocket pollution include the Outer Space Treaty and Liability Convention... require countries to avoid harmful contamination and to accept responsibility for damage caused by their space objects."

insideclimatenews.org/news/1902202...

#SpaceEnvironment

Measurement of a lithium plume from the uncontrolled re-entry of a Falcon 9 rocket - Communications Earth & Environment A plume of pollutants in the upper atmosphere above Germany is identified using lidar observations of lithium concentrations and can be traced back to the uncontrolled re-entry of a specific rocket la...

"This finding supports growing concerns that space traffic may pollute the upper atmosphere in ways not yet fully understood."

www.nature.com/articles/s43...

#SpaceEnvironment #Atmosphere #Pollution

Moving space debris out of the way with OMLET

"@esa.int is already making use of laser technology to detect and monitor #SpaceDebris. But what if we could also use laser technology to actually prevent collisions?"

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

(We note how the answer always seems to be "more tech", not "less pollution".)

#SpaceEnvironment