A new report has blasted Elon Musk’s potentially dangerous actions in space.
According to the public interest group PIRG, Musk’s company SpaceX has littered Earth’s orbit with an overwhelming amount of space junk — and the company seems intent on continuing to do this for the foreseeable future.
SpaceX’s Satellites
Since it began its operations a few years ago, SpaceX has launched a whopping 6,000 Starlink internet satellites into Earth’s low orbit.
The company’s future plans have it launching a total of 42,000 satellites in the years to come. However, critics have begun to sound the alarm over this large amount of satellites being launched into orbit.
Plans to Give Internet to Remote Areas
The plans for the Starlink satellites have always been to provide internet access to remote areas and those currently without access to it. This is because living in the modern world is challenging without internet access.
While many initially applauded these efforts, the sheer number of satellites launched into space by SpaceX suggests something more is at play than trying to do a good deed.
Mars Colonization
Musk’s vision of colonizing Mars in the future is part of his motivation for wanting to put satellites with internet access into the atmosphere.
The number of satellites Musk wants to put in space was granted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has led many to question how this was allowed.
Double the Number of Satellites
When looking at the number of satellites Musk has launched into Earth’s orbit, it’s also important to look at the number of satellites that had been launched before this.
When the Soviet Union launched its first Sputnik satellite in 1957, around 13,600 satellites had been launched into orbit. 6,700 of these are still active, and SpaceX controls around half of them. SpaceX also plans to launch around 12,000 satellites by 2026, but that could easily extend to 42,000.
How Satellites Affect the Earth
There hasn’t been enough research done on how thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit may negatively impact the planet.
As a result, there also haven’t been any regulations put on companies like SpaceX. However, scientists have increasingly come forward to announce their own concerns about these actions.
Analyzing This Situation
A new report from PIRG, a sustainability-focused group, is asking governments around the world to analyze this situation and truly understand how satellites may impact Earth’s orbit — and, therefore, us.
This report is titled “WasteX: Environmental harms of satellite internet mega-constellations.”
How Satellites Are Retired
One of the main concerns PIRG and other scientists have is how satellites are eventually retired. After all, satellites only end up lasting a couple of years before they must be retired.
This has reportedly resulted in the Earth’s orbit being littered with space junk, which could lead to potentially dangerous situations.
Understanding Possible Consequences
In their report, PIRG stated that we must all understand how some possible consequences could outweigh the positives.
The report reads, “We shouldn’t rush forward with launching satellites at this scale without making sure the benefits justify the potential consequences of these new mega-constellations being launched, and then re-entering our atmosphere to burn up and or create debris.”
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
SpaceX releasing thousands of satellites into the Earth’s atmosphere has some positive aspects. One is that it can provide internet access to Ukraine while it is at war with Russia.
However, there are also many downsides to this. Some astronomers are worried that the number of satellites in the atmosphere will soon obstruct our view of the cosmos. With 9,000 stars being visible from Earth and 5,000 satellites currently in orbit, it could soon affect our ability to see the stars at night.
Astronomical Observations Cannot Be Made
Astronomers also face other issues. The amount of space junk currently in the Earth’s atmosphere makes it difficult for them to make observations.
This means that they could miss many important events during this time. This could cause a whole host of problems, such as missing out on a rare event or something that could greatly impact the Earth.
A New Frontier
The report further stated that this is new territory we find ourselves in. However, we shouldn’t push off problems for future generations.
“This is a new frontier, and we should save ourselves a lot of trouble by making sure we move forward in a way that doesn’t cause major problems for our future,” the report explained.
SpaceX’s Wasteful Plans
Many critics have gone after SpaceX — which owns more than half of all the satellites currently in orbit — as they believe the company is being incredibly wasteful.
SpaceX’s satellites only last about five years. The company is, therefore, always sending up new satellites to replace these retired ones. Critics have long stated this is very wasteful.
Plans to De-Orbit Starlink Satellites
SpaceX has some plans to de-orbit around 100 Starlink satellites. While this might sound like a good thing, this equates to around 2% of the current Starlink satellites that have been launched to date.
However, at the rate that SpaceX is producing these satellites, it can replace any satellites it takes out of orbit within two weeks.
Why Are Satellites Being Removed?
As SpaceX has decided to remove some of its Starlink satellites, some people are questioning why this decision has suddenly been made.
It is apparently due to there being an issue within these satellites, with the worry being that if they remain in orbit, the satellites could increase the likelihood of some sort of failure in the future.
A Need for Reusable Satellites
Moriba Jah, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas, has said that he can only applaud SpaceX for developing reusable rockets.
However, he has said there is a need to develop reusable satellites as what is currently being launched is the equivalent of launching pieces of single-use plastic into space.
The Dangers of an Orbit Filled With Junk
Scientists have already begun to warn the public about what a junk-filled orbit could lead to.
A study from the University of Southern California recently found that satellites could be releasing harmful pollutants into the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This occurs during reentry, when the satellites burn up.
Hurting the Atmosphere
Scientists have further claimed that these satellites could also be helping to deplete the ozone, which then stops the Earth’s atmosphere from being able to heal itself.
The atmosphere helps keep us from receiving an excessive amount of UV radiation from the sun. If this ozone continues to suffer, scientists say we will as well.
Space Junk Burning Up Can Be Good
In some cases, space junk burning up can be a good thing. This is because it helps to get rid of the junk that is cluttering up the atmosphere.
However, it has far more harmful effects on Earth’s magnetic field than benefits, which is why experts are hoping Musk will see sense and stop releasing as many satellites into Earth’s orbit.
Metallic Ash Released Into the Ionosphere
Other issues with space junk burning up include metallic ash being released into the atmosphere. Some even believe that more than an Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash can be released from this action alone.
Part of this ash has aluminum in it, which can cause holes to develop in the ozone layer. This leaves humans and animals exposed to various harmful elements that the ozone layer protects us from.
An Increase in Light Pollution
Due to the low orbit of the SpaceX satellites, they may cause an increase in light pollution, causing further harm to Earth and its inhabitants.
The more satellites put in space, the more they can reflect the sun’s rays into the atmosphere. This increases the amount of light pollution, creates a skyglow and limits the number of visible stars.
Other Companies Launching Satellites
While PIRG goes after SpaceX in this report’s title, the actual report analyzed how many companies around the world were to blame for launching an increasing amount of satellites.
For example, Amazon is looking to launch thousands of satellites in the near future, which will only litter the orbit more.
Other Countries Are Doing the Same
American companies also aren’t alone in encouraging the launch of satellites. China recently launched many satellites which will be a part of the 15,000 total satellites it will eventually put into Earth’s orbit.
This is China’s first attempt to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink.
A New Space Age
Scientists must prepare for a new space age, with space exploration becoming increasingly regular. However, this also poses a risk to space due to the amount of junk that has ended up in Earth’s orbit.
As a result, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission is working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA to come up with some solutions to minimize any risks. It is hoped that doing this will help those planning to go into space reduce the amount of space junk they release into the atmosphere and encourage them to develop a more environmentally friendly way of releasing satellites.
