Soon, the familiar view of the night sky with the Milky Way may survive only in memory. Instead of the twinkling of distant stars, humanity may see a bright artificial ring encircling the planet every night. Hugh Lewis, Professor of Astronautics at the University of Birmingham, warns that if plans to deploy millions of satellites are implemented, they will form a continuous band of light. It would be brighter than all the stars and planets, even outshining the full Moon.
Only a few years ago, this seemed like a dystopian scenario, but today’s space boom is making it increasingly realistic. A number of companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Starcloud, Cowboy Space, and Orbital, have applied to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for licenses covering more than one million satellites intended for orbital data centers. These proposals include initiatives such as Starmind, Project Sunrise, and Stampede.
At the same time, the startup Reflect Orbital plans to deploy a constellation of 50,000 mirrors that would reflect sunlight onto ground-based power plants at night. Its first demonstration spacecraft, Eärendil-1, measuring 18 by 18 meters, has already received authorization for launch, which is scheduled for the end of this year.
To maintain continuous access to solar energy, these spacecraft would have to operate in a so-called terminator orbit, following the boundary between day and night.
A Blow to Science and the Disappearance of the Stars
Astronomer Samantha Lawler of the University of Regina modeled the movement of these constellations. According to her, the satellites would pass over the surface twice a day—during the evening and shortly before dawn. At the equator, this stream would resemble a giant letter “X,” while observers closer to the poles would see two separate bands of light.
Studies indicate that each Reflect Orbital mirror would shine as brightly as Venus. A constellation of 50,000 such spacecraft would increase the overall brightness of the night sky by 300%. The artificial light would remain visible for hours after sunset, distorting the sky and interfering with ground-based telescopes. According to Lawler, this would seriously threaten even the search for asteroids that could pose a danger to Earth.
Astronomer John Barentine notes that humanity is already turning Earth into an artificial “ringed planet” resembling Saturn. However, instead of the dust and rocks that form the gas giant’s rings, Earth would acquire rings made of space debris and spacecraft, creating a continuous reflective surface that would obscure the twilight hours most valuable for astronomical observations.
Bureaucratic Inaction
Despite strong objections from the astronomical community, regulators say they have little authority to intervene. When granting a license for the Reflect Orbital mission, the FCC officially stated that protecting optical astronomy does not fall within its responsibilities. The problem is that no other agency has the authority to assess how launches will affect the appearance of the night sky.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) and the British Royal Astronautical Society strongly criticized the decision. Scientists warn that flashes from the mirrors could physically damage sensitive telescope optics, blind pilots, and even injure the eyesight of people looking at the sky through amateur binoculars or telescopes. They could also make navigation by the stars impossible.
Attempts to minimize light pollution are also failing because spacecraft are becoming larger. For example, SpaceX’s latest Starlink satellite models weigh about two tonnes. They operate in lower orbits and are clearly visible to the naked eye. Unless regulators take the environmental and scientific consequences into account, the starry sky may be lost to future generations.
Earlier, we reported that Starlink satellites may pose a threat to Earth’s ozone layer.
According to Space
