Satellites could affect 40% of Hubble's images in 10 years

Technology Dec 04, 2025

A new study says the explosion of satellites in orbit could mess with nearly 40% of Hubble Space Telescope's photos within the next decade.
Other telescopes might have it even worse, with up to 96% of their observations at risk from satellite streaks.

Why this matters for space science

Satellite streaks are already showing up in more and more telescope images—Hubble saw them in about 4% of its shots between 2018 and 2021.
With satellites jumping from around 5,000 in 2019 to over 15,800 now (and counting), astronomers worry that crucial discoveries, like finding new planets, could get harder.
Researchers say fixing this will need teamwork between governments, scientists, and private companies to keep both our sky tech and space research safe.