For many years now, clusters of satellites in low Earth orbit have been increasing in number. These satellites, numbering in the thousands, are meant to bring Internet access to remote areas and cover almost the entire globe.
Some of the companies involved in this effort include SpaceX’s Starlink (with over 4,000 satellites in orbit), Amazon’s Kuiper (with over 3,000), and OneWeb (with over 600). However, this method of delivering connectivity seems to be much more polluting compared to traditional terrestrial options.
The satellite activity has a range of negative effects on the environment, primarily due to the fuel used in the rockets that launch them, and the resulting emissions. A study conducted by astrophysicists in the UK and the US found that over the next five years, CO2 emissions per subscriber will be 31 to 91 times higher than those generated by equivalent terrestrial mobile broadband, regardless of the scenarios examined.
It’s clear that the most effective way to reduce this pollution would be to make smart decisions in the design of rockets and the fuel they use, particularly since most of the programs being examined intend to launch thousands more satellites in the near future.
More sustainable technologies need to be developed, not just for rockets and satellites, but also for the fuel they utilize.
Currently, these satellite constellations are an environmental concern, and the more satellites that are launched, the more harmful their impact will be. They are a source of space pollution, for example.
Each satellite has a relatively short lifespan, as they are unable to be recovered or recycled. At the end of their operational life, they will either disintegrate upon re-entry into the atmosphere, or remain in orbit indefinitely. The need to replace them with new, operational satellites also creates a significant amount of waste. This potential space debris and waste can cause considerable harm, such as creating new holes in the ozone layer due to the gases released from the aluminum combustion in these devices.
Another challenge is minimizing the presence of this space debris. To address this, various projects have been proposed, such as sending a satellite to collect several others before safely destroying them upon re-entry into the atmosphere. Another potential solution is to launch a satellite refueling service for satellites in orbit. – AFP Relaxnews
