ESO warns satellite constellations threaten astronomy

We are sleepwalking into a tragedy of the commons in low Earth orbit, where commercial interests like space-based data centers and night-sky illumination could permanently blind ground-based astronomy.

• –The recommended cap of 100,000 faint satellites is less than 6% of the 1.7 million proposed, showing a massive gulf between astronomical safety and commercial ambition.
• –SpaceX's shift toward space-based data centers represents an unprecedented volume of orbital payloads that regulatory frameworks are currently unequipped to handle.
• –Reflect Orbital's "sunlight on demand" mirrors pose a uniquely severe threat by artificially scattering sunlight, increasing atmospheric sky brightness by up to 300%.
• –Active international policy coordination and strict environmental reviews by agencies like the FCC are urgently needed to prevent irreversible degradation of the night sky.