Don't let mega-constellation-building billionaires steal your night sky

"We are firmly in the era of the satellite constellation—groups of dozens of similar satellites—and are currently entering the era of the mega constellation, wherein groups of thousands of satellites swarm the skies. The clusters of satellites started small, but, like a viral outbreak, they grew almost without us noticing—and now we're dealing with a pandemic."

"At the time, there were 7,500 active satellites orbiting Earth; more than half of them were SpaceX Starlink satellites that provided Internet service. In a little under three years, the number of just Starlink satellites in orbit has reached nearly 10,000. Today there are literally more Starlink satellites up there than the sum total of all other operational satellites."

"Back in 2019, when the first Starlink satellites were launched, SpaceX filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for up to 30,000 additional satellites. Does that sound bad? Well, there may come a day, all too soon, when we're nostalgic for such a sm[all number]."

The proliferation of satellite mega-constellations has fundamentally changed humanity's relationship with the night sky. What once inspired awe in stargazers now generates dread as thousands of satellites increasingly populate Earth's orbit. SpaceX's Starlink constellation has grown dramatically, with nearly 10,000 satellites currently operational—more than all other operational satellites combined. This explosive growth mirrors a viral outbreak, occurring almost imperceptibly until reaching pandemic proportions. SpaceX has filed with the FCC for permission to launch up to 30,000 additional satellites, suggesting the situation will worsen significantly. The shift from isolated satellite sightings to dense constellations represents a fundamental alteration of the celestial environment and humanity's ability to observe the natural night sky.

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