SpaceX Continues to Blast Satellites Into Orbit as the Space Community Worries

Early in 2020, SpaceX became the operator of the world’s largest active satellite constellation, with 180 satellites orbiting the planet. The milestone is a mere starting point for Starlink, SpaceX’s ambitious project to provide internet capabilities to every inch of the globe. To get that kind of connectivity, the company wants the option to launch up to 42,000 satellites over the next decade. That’s about 21 times the number of operational satellites currently in space — and the true impact of the company’s nascent mega-constellation is still very much a mystery.

There are concerns over "space traffic" and astronomy problems due to the brightness of the satellites. SpaceX has heard the complaints of concerned scientists and satellite watchers. The company has taken some steps to mitigate the astronomy problems that many fear, and it has also released more data about the positioning of its satellites to help with tracking. But those steps aren’t enough for some advocates. And some of the decisions that various groups are lobbying for — like changing the design of the satellites — can potentially reduce an issue for one group but cause more problems for others.