Environmental Groups Oppose Second-Gen Starlink Network, Push for FCC Review

SpaceX’s plan to launch nearly 30,000 satellites for a second-generation Starlink network is facing resistance from two groups calling on the FCC to examine the environmental impact of the proposed satellite constellation. 

“SpaceX’s proposed satellites will dump millions of pounds of pollution into the atmosphere causing significant environmental impacts both in space and on the ground,” they argue in a Wednesday filing(Opens in a new window) with the agency.  

The complaint comes from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the International Dark-Sky Association; the latter focuses on stopping light pollution. The two nonprofit groups are urging the FCC to conduct an environmental review of SpaceX’s proposal for the second-generation Starlink network before granting approval. 

The concerns revolve around the sheer scale of the future Starlink network. There are currently(Opens in a new window) over 5,465 satellites orbiting the planet, meaning Starlink’s second-generation constellation will dwarf anything in existence. (Its first-gen network will have approximately 4,400 satellites.)

(Credit: satellitemap.space)

“By design, SpaceX’s proposed satellites will be deployed into low-earth orbit where they will operate for a few years and then burn up,” the filing said. As a result, the groups are worried the satellites will increase the amount of aluminum and soot in the atmosphere. 

“Moreover, the various rocket launches required to deploy the 30,000 satellites that SpaceX proposes can contribute to the problem of stratospheric ozone depletion,” the groups claimed. “In addition to depleting stratospheric ozone, many of these chemicals can also act as powerful heat-trapping gases accelerating the dangerous weather extremes of climate change.”

The filing goes on to argue that the FCC must embark on the environmental review, citing the National Environmental Policy Act, which was passed in 1970. The law “requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions,” according(Opens in a new window) to the Environmental Protection Agency.  

The environmental groups say the same law should apply to space activities, including large satellite constellations. “The FCC cannot lawfully authorize the 30,000 satellites proposed by SpaceX without analyzing the potentially significant environmental impacts of such action,” the filing added. 

SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But the company has been working to reduce the amount of light that Starlink satellites can reflect from the sun to prevent interference with astronomical observations. Last month, SpaceX also sent a letter to the FCC about a recent court win, where a judge denied the need for an environmental review in a legal battle surrounding the company’s first-generation Starlink network. 

In response, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the International Dark-Sky Association filed their letter to the FCC, arguing the two groups had legitimate standing to bring up the environmental concerns.

If the FCC embarks on an environmental review, it risks creating a major delay for the second-generation Starlink network, which is designed to improve speeds and coverage. Rival Viasat has also called on the FCC to initiate an environmental review of the second-gen network over worries it’ll cause too much light pollution in the sky. Other have urged the FCC to impose conditions on SpaceX’s plan over concerns it’ll cause interference and crowd out the competition.