Starlink: A Brightening Threat to Our Stargazing Experience
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On a pleasant evening in May, I found myself by the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary's bustling capital. The city's bright lights make it challenging to enjoy the stars, often limiting my view to only a few like Orion's belt or the North Star on clear nights.
Imagine my surprise when I noticed a continuous stream of luminous points traversing the sky, their brightness outshining even the North Star. I stood there, bewildered, until they vanished beyond the horizon. After the initial shock, I quickly searched online, discovering that this was part of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet mega constellation.
While I was aware of the project—thanks to the constant news coverage surrounding Tesla and SpaceX and the almost cult-like following of its founder, Elon Musk—I felt a wave of anxiety at the prospect of 42,000 more of those bright satellites crowding the night sky in the coming decade.
SpaceX has already launched over 1,700 satellites, adding significantly to the approximately 3,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth.
Describing the SpaceX initiative as perilous would be a gross understatement.
Satellite Mega-Constellations Outshine Stars
With around 9,000 stars visible to the naked eye under optimal conditions, these are primarily seen in areas with minimal light pollution, where we can detect them up to a visual magnitude of +6.5, the limit of human sight.
> The initial 122 Starlink satellites are not only brighter than most visible stars but also move rapidly across the sky, leaving trails that compromise the accuracy of astronomical observations. - Source
Their intensity makes it nearly impossible for stargazers to see anything else.
SpaceX intends to deploy an astonishing number of low-orbit satellites—specifically 42,000—unless space regulations are established. Currently, there are no laws preventing the littering of space, making it a free-for-all. While guidelines exist, their effectiveness is questionable at best.
The satellites already in orbit are tarnishing the night sky and distorting astronomers’ data. In comparison to the roughly 8,000 satellites launched since the Soviet Sputnik, with only 2,218 still operational, Starlink threatens to clutter Earth's orbit like never before.
> Currently, there are about 3,000 active satellites in orbit; existing Starlink satellites are brighter than 99% of them due to their lower orbits and higher reflectivity than previously estimated. - EarthSky
The Starlink mega-constellation would increase the number of operational satellites more than tenfold. For high-speed internet access, a satellite must always be positioned above a user's location, leading to these alarming projections.
But what are the tangible benefits of such an expansive project? While high-speed satellite internet could be advantageous for remote military bases or sparsely populated regions, we must question whether it justifies the cost of obscuring our view of the cosmos.
 :width: 800 :alt: Starlink satellites crossing the Dark Energy Camera's frame.
Starlink Satellites Compromise Astronomical Imaging
These satellites are moving too quickly and shining too brightly to be benign. They leave light trails that significantly disrupt the quality of space exploration images.
In typical fashion for Musk, he downplayed these concerns by launching the unconvincing DarkSat and VisorSat versions. The DarkSats are painted black and covered in anti-reflective material, while the VisorSats have individual sunshields.
Yet, the so-called DarkSat remains highly luminous and continues to contribute to light pollution. Numerous videos capturing the visible passage of Starlink satellites abound, and on radio observations, they obscure valuable astronomical data.
Space Debris: A Growing Concern, Even Without Starlink
As of now, there are 34,000 objects larger than 10 cm in Earth's orbit, according to the European Space Agency. Although we have some guidelines and a code of conduct in place, agencies that deploy low-Earth orbit satellites are supposed to remove their spacecraft within 25 years of their missions’ conclusion. However, the success rate for such operations is dismally low, at around 5%, with some organizations showing little interest in compliance.
> If we plan to launch thousands more satellites with the same lack of compliance as before, we face potential disaster. - Source
 :width: 800 :alt: Space debris in Earth's orbit.
The Risk of Collisions in Space
Despite Musk’s assurances that collisions are unlikely, the first incident has already occurred. On September 2, 2019, the European Space Agency had to maneuver one of its Earth observation satellites to avoid a collision after Starlink declined to alter its satellite's trajectory.
Such collisions contribute thousands of pieces to the existing space debris. Starlink satellites are designed to deorbit within five years in the event of failure, but will that be sufficient? This question is more pressing than ever, especially after SpaceX launched its 29th batch of 60 satellites on May 27, 2021.
Starlink aims to minimize collision risks by placing its satellites closer to Earth.
Since the first launch, six satellites have already malfunctioned. A Starlink satellite typically has a lifespan of just 5 to 7 years. Even a small failure rate before deorbiting will significantly increase the space debris problem.
Additionally, we must consider the substantial costs associated with maintenance, production, and the environmental impact of sourcing raw materials.
A Race for Dominance in the Night Sky
In spite of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which designated outer space as a common heritage of humanity, the privatization of the night sky is unfolding before our eyes. The pandemic has underscored the critical importance of internet access for education, business, and social equity.
Musk’s unsettling promise that his customers can do as they please, just as he does, is deeply troubling. Are we to become a global network of disconnected individuals, tethered to phased array antennas, endlessly streaming our lives into the void?
For those suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity, urban living has become unbearable due to persistent migraines. We lack sufficient data to understand the biological effects of a network of phased array antennas on human beings and the natural environment.
Presently, three billionaire-backed companies are competing to dominate the night sky: Amazon's Kuiper, Greg Wyler's OneWeb, and China's Hongyan.
Only one can emerge victorious. What does this mean for us? It suggests that the night sky will be cluttered with obsolete satellites from companies that fail to secure their place in this race.
The Loss of the Night Sky Threatens Our Humanity
Beyond the operational hazards and the disruption to astronomical research, the psychological ramifications of losing our stargazing experience could be profound for humanity.
As we increasingly congregate in urban settings, opportunities to marvel at the Milky Way become rare. We cherish the few moments we have to witness the night sky in all its glory.
I’ll never forget the time I stepped out of a mountain cabin by Lago di Como in Italy after a long hike. With Italian wine coursing through my veins and a satisfying fatigue settling in, I felt truly alive. I lay on the ground for hours, gazing at the galaxy in all its splendor—the crisp air filling my lungs and my heart racing.
I will always treasure the times I rode beneath the stars in the highlands or sneaked onto the rooftop of our summer home to gaze at the sky. These experiences have shaped who I am.
There are few remaining places where we can feel both small and significant, connected to life's mysteries. There are fewer and fewer places left for us to contemplate the sheer improbability of existence, where the breathtaking vastness of outer space dwarfs our daily concerns.
In some remote mountain tops, highland deserts, islands, and otherworldly locales, the absence of internet connectivity isn't something we need to remedy.
It is liberating to live, even for a few days, without being perpetually connected to everyone on the planet—without responding to messages, emails, or the endless news streams.
To be present, or “To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.” — William Blake
Transcendent experiences often occur in nature, and the night sky is a vital part of that. It has been integral to our human experience for millennia. The pandemic has demonstrated that access to nature—trees, forests, lakes, and mountains—can rejuvenate us, fostering connection and a sense of humanity.
I, for one, refuse to accept a world where we degrade the night sky, turning it into a mundane thoroughfare for the sake of universal internet coverage or one man's grandiose vision of a multi-planetary society. I wish to remain on Earth, where I belong.
I do not want to forfeit one of the last ties to the universe, one of my few escapes, one of the last experiences that make me feel both alive and connected to something greater.
Urban light pollution has long posed a challenge to stargazing, but at least we could escape it by retreating to more secluded areas. With tens of thousands more satellites looming, that option may vanish.
Unless international organizations intervene, unless we unite to make our voices heard and put an end to this, we are on a path to permanently losing the night sky.
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