SpaceX's Million-Satellite Proposal: A Growing Concern for the Night Sky

On January 30, 2026, SpaceX submitted an application to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a megaconstellation comprising up to one million satellites. These satellites are intended to power data centers in space.

The proposal outlines satellite operations within low Earth orbit, specifically between 500 and 2,000 kilometers. Some orbits are designed for consistent exposure to sunlight. The public comment period for this proposal is currently open.

SpaceX's filing contributes to a growing number of satellite megaconstellation proposals. These satellites typically serve a single function and have an estimated replacement cycle of approximately five years.

As of February 2026, approximately 14,000 active satellites were in orbit, with an additional 1.23 million proposed satellite projects under development.

The current approval process for these satellites primarily focuses on technical information submitted to regulators. Cultural, spiritual, and most environmental impacts are not routinely included in these assessments.

Anticipated Changes to the Night Sky

Projections indicate that this scale of satellite growth will permanently and globally alter the night sky for future generations.

Satellites in low Earth orbit reflect sunlight for approximately two hours after sunset and before sunrise. Despite engineering efforts to reduce brightness, many megaconstellation satellites appear as moving points of light.

A 2021 estimate, based on 65,000 proposed satellites at the time, suggested that within a decade, one in every 15 points of light in the night sky would be a moving satellite.

Deploying millions of satellites could lead to irreversible impacts on the night sky.

While individual satellites have a lifespan of about five years, megaconstellations are designed for continuous replacement and expansion, establishing an ongoing industrial presence in orbit. This continuous presence is contributing to a 'shifting baseline syndrome' where successive generations may normalize a progressively more degraded night sky, with increasing satellite visibility. This marks the first time in human history that current generations may not experience the same night sky as previous generations.

Broadening Concerns Regarding Megaconstellations

Concerns about the increasing volume of proposed satellites have been raised by various groups.

Scientific Concerns

Bright reflections and radio emissions from satellites are identified as potential disruptions to astronomical observations.

Industry and Safety Concerns

Industry experts have noted challenges in traffic management and logistics, citing an absence of unified space traffic management systems comparable to those in aviation.

Megaconstellations also elevate the risk of Kessler syndrome, a cascading chain reaction of collisions. There are currently 50,000 pieces of orbital debris larger than ten centimeters. Data suggests a major collision could occur every 3.8 days if collision avoidance maneuvers ceased.

Cultural Concerns

Satellite light pollution is expected to negatively affect Indigenous communities' use of the night sky for oral traditions, navigation, hunting, and spiritual practices.

Environmental Concerns

Launching numerous satellites consumes substantial fossil fuels, impacting the ozone layer. The end-of-life plan for satellites involves atmospheric reentry and burn-up, which raises concerns about depositing metals into the stratosphere, potentially causing ozone depletion and other chemical reactions.

Legal Concerns

Under international space law, countries are liable for harm caused by their space objects. Space lawyers are evaluating whether international space law can hold corporations or private individuals accountable, particularly as risks of damage, death, or permanent environmental harm increase.

Gaps in Current Regulation

Current satellite regulations predominantly focus on technical aspects, such as radio frequency allocation. National regulations address launch safety, Earth-based environmental impacts, and liability.

These regulations do not adequately address the impact of hundreds of thousands of bright satellites on scientific study, navigation, Indigenous teaching, cultural ceremony, and human heritage.

These impacts are described as cultural rather than traditional 'environmental harms' or 'technical engineering concerns,' representing a regulatory oversight. To address this, space lawyers Gregory Radisic and Natalie Gillespie have proposed a Dark Skies Impact Assessment.

Proposed Dark Skies Impact Assessment

A Dark Skies Impact Assessment is a systematic methodology designed to identify, document, and evaluate all potential impacts of a satellite constellation before its approval.

Key components of such an assessment include:

• Stakeholder Evidence Gathering: Collecting input from astronomers (amateur and professional), atmospheric scientists, environmental researchers, cultural scholars, affected communities, and industry.
• Cumulative Effects Modeling: Analyzing how constellations will alter night sky visibility, skyglow, orbital congestion, and ground casualty risk.
• Criteria Definition: Establishing clear standards for critical unobstructed sky visibility for scientific, navigational, educational, cultural, and heritage purposes.
• Mitigation Pathways: Developing strategies like brightness reduction, orbital design modifications, and deployment adjustments to minimize harm, along with incentives for using fewer satellites.
• Transparency and Review: Ensuring findings are transparent, independently reviewable, and directly influence licensing and policy decisions.

Assessment Purpose and Benefits

A Dark Skies Impact Assessment is intended to clarify trade-offs and enhance decision-making rather than to prevent space development.

It can facilitate design choices that reduce brightness and visual interference, optimize orbital configurations for cultural impact reduction, enable earlier and more comprehensive consultation, and integrate cultural considerations when harm is unavoidable.

The assessment aims to ensure that communities affected by satellite constellations are informed prior to approval, rather than discovering impacts after deployment.

The night sky is already undergoing changes. Governments and international bodies are urged to establish equitable processes before these changes become permanent.