SpaceX's plan for a million satellites sparks astronomy concerns
SpaceX wants to launch up to 1 million solar-powered satellites as orbital AI data centers, way more than the nearly 10,000 Starlink satellites already in space.
Their proposal, filed with the FCC in January 2026, has astronomers worried about how this could affect views of the night sky.
A million new satellites could mean a lot more brightness
Unlike current Starlink units, these new satellites would orbit higher and stay sunlit even at midnight, meaning tens of thousands could be visible from Earth every night.
This much extra brightness could make it a lot harder for astronomers (and stargazers) to see faint objects in space.
Risks of collisions and bright streaks in telescope images
Scientists warn that all these extra satellites could leave bright streaks across telescope images, especially for observatories like Vera Rubin.
There is also talk about Kessler syndrome: basically too much stuff in orbit leading to dangerous collisions and even more debris.
What's next for SpaceX's satellite mega-constellation?
The FCC put SpaceX's application on a fast-track path and has not given final approval.
It is collecting feedback and will have to weigh the risks to astronomy and space safety before making a call.