“At one point, you are likely to make a bad decision”: why Starlink is a disaster for the night sky
A starlink system in the course of unpacking. © Hadrian
Starlink, this network of satellites signed SpaceXaims to connect the most remote corners of the planet. A technical feat praised in the poorly served areas. However, the multiplication of orbit machines is seriously starting to worry astronomers, climatologists … and dreamers who still look up at the stars.
Visual pollution and radio interference: collateral damage
In just five years, SpaceX has placed more than 7,000 satellites in low orbit. And this is only the beginning: Elon Musk aims at 42,000 units in the coming years. For the record, the whole cumulative spatial history of humanity had barely 16,000 satellites so far. An already doubled figure, which could still explode.
As of May 14, 2025, the Starlink constellation of SpaceX had 7,475 satellites in orbit, of which 6,676 were operational. © screenshot https://satellitemap.space
What does that change? First, visual pollution. Each Starlink satellite (even equipped with the Darksat coating or the Visorsat system) supposed to reduce its apparent magnitude, remains detectable with a shine between 4 and 6 in visual magnitude, sufficient to appear on the long poses of optical telescopes.
During their orbit rise phase, the satellites form particularly luminous “trains” (up to magnitude 2), causing saturated streaks on the CCD and CMOS sensors. These streaks generate artefacts, saturate pixels and degrade image stacking algorithms.
“Train” of Starlink satellites in the night sky. © Sebastian_photography
The Vera C. Rubin observatory (LSST) estimated that, without active correction, up to 40 % of the large field images could be altered at full constellation. Starlink passages also complicate differential photometry and spectroscopic analysis in the visible and the close infrared. Despite the addition of surface surfaces and treatments, recent models (Starlink V2 Mini) still have a significant optical signature, aggravated by their mass (almost 800 kg) and their reflective surface.
But evil is not only visual: Starlink also blurs the airwaves. These satellites, designed to distribute the Internet, emit powerful radio signals. However, radioastronomy is based on listening to weak waves from deep space. Difficult to capture a celestial symphony when a Wi-Fi concert screams in your ears.
Low orbit, permanent traffic jam
Another problem: orbital size. Already in 2019, ESA had to deviate from a satellite to avoid a shock with a starlink machine. In 2024, there were nearly 50,000 avoidance maneuvers made by SpaceX satellites. And the rate only increases, to the point of raising the question of overall security in orbit.
Between December 2023 and May 2024, nearly 49,400 avoidance maneuvers were necessary for Starlink satellites, According to Hugh LewisEuropean expert in space debris. In parallel, four new devices are launched each day, and the number of these maneuvers climbed approximately 75 per year. Suffice to say that the sky becomes a real field of orbital mines.
We place our confidence in a single business to do what it takes. We are in a situation where most of the maneuvers that we observe will involve Starlink. They were previously a launch provider, now they are the largest satellite operator in the world, but they have been doing only for two years, so there is a certain inexperience.
A short lifespan, long consequences
Finally, there is an atmospheric impact. Starlink satellites have a particularly short lifespan, around 5 years, a choice assumed by SpaceX to promote regular replacements and rapid technological updates. But this accelerated cycle is far from being the norm in the space industry.
As a comparison, Goes-3 (a meteorological satellite launched in 1978) remained active and functional for 38 years. Many communication or earth observation satellites, such as those of the Galileo constellation or certain American GPS, are designed to hold between 10 and 15 years, sometimes more.
With Starlink, these are tens of thousands of objects that are called upon to consume themselves in the earth’s atmosphere every five years.
Afterwards, They are deliberately disoriented to burn in the atmosphere. A good point to limit debris, of course, but not without consequences: their combustion releases aluminum oxide, capable of damaging the ozone layer and modifying the reflection of solar light. And as SpaceX plans to renew this constellation every five years, accumulation could pose a long -term environmental problem.
SpaceX is not completely deaf to criticism. The company has revised certain trajectories at the request of regulators and tries to limit light reflection. But commercial ambition still takes precedence over ecological or scientific considerations. And as long as states do not impose a strict framework, Starlink continues to colonize the sky as he pleases.
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