European astronomers have appealed to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, or the FCC, to reject SpaceX's plan to launch 1.7 million satellites into orbit, warning the massive installation would have "devastating consequences for astronomy."
The European Southern Observatory, or ESO, study found 100,000 is the maximum number of faint satellites that can orbit Earth while preserving astronomers' ability to observe distant galaxies and potentially hazardous asteroids, according to Common Dreams.
SpaceX's Starlink, lead by CEO Elon Musk, has already exceeded 14,000 satellites since 2019.
Additional threats include Reflect Orbital's proposed 50,000 mirror-like satellites designed to reflect sunlight at night, which would appear four times brighter than the full moon, explained the observatory.
“These satellites would be the brightest ever in orbit, with damaging consequences for dark skies on Earth.”
The bright satellites would obstruct observations, disrupt human biological clocks and ecosystems, and increase atmospheric pollution from launches and reentries.
“The FCC received over 1800 comments regarding Reflect Orbital and nearly 1,500 comments on the application by SpaceX,” revealed ESO institutional affairs officer Betty Kioko.
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