Environmental Groups Call Space Data Centers ‘Reckless’ and Demand FCC Halt Licenses
Featured image: Artist’s concept of satellites in low Earth orbit above a darkened planet; credit: NASA
A coalition of environmental and scientific organizations has petitioned the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to halt licensing of space-based data center projects until a full environmental impact review is conducted. The groups warn that plans to place more than one million additional satellites in low Earth orbit would be catastrophic for dark skies, wildlife, atmospheric chemistry and orbital safety.
The petition, filed by Earthjustice on behalf of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), DarkSky International, the National Wildlife Federation and others, demands that the FCC prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) covering the cumulative effects of orbital data center constellations. The FCC has never required such a review for satellite licensing.
“Allowing a million orbiting data centers with no environmental review isn’t just irresponsible. It’s reckless,” said Tim Whitehouse, executive director of PEER.
From 15,000 to Over a Million
There are currently roughly 15,000 active satellites in low Earth orbit, alongside about 46,000 tracked debris objects. Existing megaconstellation plans from SpaceX, Amazon and other operators are projected to push that number past 58,000 active satellites in the coming years. The space-based data center proposals, most notably SpaceX’s Starmind concept, would add over a million more.
SpaceX’s FCC application for the Starmind project alone requests licenses for up to one million satellites designed to function as orbital AI computing infrastructure. The company has described the concept as a step toward becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization capable of harnessing the sun’s full power.
Multiple Environmental Threats
The coalition’s petition identifies four categories of harm from large satellite constellations.
Orbital debris and collision risk grow with every new satellite, as more objects in orbit increase the probability of cascading collisions that could render entire altitude bands unusable. Rocket launches that place and maintain these constellations contribute greenhouse gas emissions, while satellites that deorbit burn up in the atmosphere and release heavy metals and other pollutants.
Light pollution from reflective satellites already interferes with ground-based astronomy. The coalition warns that a million additional spacecraft would permanently alter the night sky. “These projects could permanently alter the night sky as we know it,” said Ruskin Hartley, executive director of DarkSky International. “The FCC needs to take seriously its obligation to ensure these projects do not cause unnecessary harm to naturally dark skies, or to our overall environment.”
Satellite light pollution also affects wildlife, disrupting natural rhythms, migration patterns, feeding schedules and ecosystems. The National Wildlife Federation cited specific examples: bats missing windows when insect prey are available and starving as a result, and mountain lions unable to roam normally at night, leading to population fragmentation.
Legal Pressure
Senior Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman made clear the coalition is prepared to escalate. “Agencies that authorize companies looking to space as the next frontier still must operate within the law, and the law requires the FCC to consider all the risks and impacts of these proposals. If we have to sue so that they comply, we will.”
The FCC has not yet responded publicly to the petition. Environmental reviews, if ordered, could delay or reshape the timelines of orbital data center projects that are still in early planning stages.