#spaceenvironment
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space-environment.bsky.social
"As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed, resulting in a 200 meter close approach between one of the deployed satellites and STARLINK-6079 (56120) at 560 km altitude."

www.space.com/space-explor...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment
Spacecraft from Chinese launch nearly slammed into Starlink satellite, SpaceX says
"As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed, resulting in a 200 meter close approach between one of the deployed satellites and STARL...
www.space.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:36 AM
space-environment.bsky.social
#HelloWorld 🌎

We are proud to announce the launch of the Center for #SpaceEnvironmentalism!

CSE is a group of scholars and experts who inform and advocate for issues pertaining to the protection of the increasingly crowded #SpaceEnvironment.

www.spaceenvironmentalism.org
Home
Space environmentalism is an emerging area of academic inquiry and social advocacy focused on the protection of the space environment.
www.spaceenvironmentalism.org
March 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
Thanks to @drcarpineti.bsky.social at @iflscience.com for featuring CSE in this story about the recent Nature paper by Borlaff, Marcum and Howell.

www.iflscience.com/space-astron...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #Satellites
Space Astronomy Is Under Threat As New Paper "Raises Important Concerns" About Megaconstellations
Light pollution from satellites affects more than just the Earth.
www.iflscience.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:13 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
The 2025 @esa.int #SpaceEnvironment Report, issued today, finds that while "adherence to #SpaceDebris mitigation standards is slowly improving over the years ... it is not enough to stop the increase of the number and amount of space debris."

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
ESA Space Environment Report 2025
www.esa.int
April 1, 2025 at 11:41 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"'The space industry pollution is like a small-scale, unregulated geoengineering experiment that could have many unintended and serious environmental consequences.'"

www.space.com/space-explor...

#Satellites #SpaceEnvironment #Climate
SpaceX Starlink and other satellite megaconstellations are creating an 'unregulated geoengineering experiment', scientists say
"Black carbon from satellite launches has about 540 times bigger climate effect than black carbon released by ships, cars and power plants."
www.space.com
May 19, 2026 at 5:32 AM
space-environment.bsky.social
Placing offensive weapons in orbit is a catastrophic environmental hazard that elevates debris risks for all satellite infrastructure. Being a 'first mover' does not make weaponization legal.

Read CSE’s position statement: www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/posi...
#SpaceEnvironment #SpacePolicy
CSE Opposes The Militarization Of Outer Space
The recent confirmation by the United States that it has placed offensive weapons in orbit is cause for grave concern about the long-term integrity of the near-Earth space environment. It is a turning point for both the security and sustainability of the Earth-space environmental continuum that
www.spaceenvironmentalism.org
September 21, 2026 at 5:05 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"Constant space launches are turning the atmosphere into a 'crematorium' for satellites and other space debris. That was the warning from a trio of astronomers and atmospheric scientists in a new essay for The Conversation."

futurism.com/space/space-...

#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceDebris #Pollution
Constant Space Launches Turning Earth's Atmosphere Into a "Crematorium," Scientists Say
Thousands of expendable satellites are falling into the Earth's atmosphere and turning it into a polluted "crematorium."
futurism.com
March 1, 2026 at 8:32 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
Thanks to @bberwyn.bsky.social of @insideclimatenews.org for this great story about many of the issues that CSE works on.

insideclimatenews.org/news/1306202...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpacePolicy
A Commercial Space Race Prompts a Thorny Question: Who Owns the Sky? - Inside Climate News
The surge in satellites brings pollution and risks of repeating destructive colonial practices, experts warn.
insideclimatenews.org
June 13, 2026 at 7:54 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"A large glowing spiral visible in the night sky on Monday is believed to have been caused by a SpaceX rocket launch in the US. The cloud-like shape was visible for several minutes above the UK and elsewhere in Europe before fading."

www.bbc.com/news/article...

#SpaceEnvironment
SpaceX launch: Glowing spiral seen above UK skies
The shape is thought to be the result of leftover fuel released into space as the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth.
www.bbc.com
March 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
Thanks to / gracias a @climatica.coop for publishing this story in Spanish about CSE whose title translates to "Space is also an environment (and this association wants to protect it)".

climatica.coop/espacio-tamb...

#SpaceEnvironment
climatica.coop
July 14, 2025 at 6:28 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"NASA's plan to deorbit the International Space Station in coming years has fallen under the scrutiny of a government watchdog group and stirred up a wave of reaction by a leading ocean conservation organization."

www.space.com/space-explor...

#Environment #SpaceEnvironment #ISS #NASA #Oceans
NASA wants to dump the ISS in the sea. Experts say the plan 'raises serious concerns for ocean health'
"We believe this gap in international law needs to be closed, and the ISS de-orbit is a vivid illustration of why."
www.space.com
June 23, 2026 at 7:43 PM
astronomybot.bsky.social
Spacecraft often experience a phenomenon called "spacecraft charging," where surfaces build up electrical charge due to interaction with the space environment. This can lead to electrical discharges that can damage sensitive components. #SpacecraftCharging #SpaceEnvironment #ElectricalDischarges
July 19, 2025 at 6:04 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"From launchpads to low Earth orbit and beyond, #space companies and their affiliates are deploying a familiar marketing tactic – with a new twist. ... Welcome to the age of starwashing."

theconversation.com/starwashing-...

#SpaceEnvironment
‘Starwashing’: How space companies use the greenwashing playbook while engaging in environmentally damaging practices
Orbital data centers, space habitats, mining the Moon – despite taking place in space, the practices many companies are imagining will still affect the Earth.
theconversation.com
August 13, 2026 at 6:49 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"An executive order signed last month to streamline rocket launches has been celebrated by officials in the commercial space sector. But it’s also causing a wave of alarm – from scientists, environmental activists and astronomers."

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

#SpaceEnvironment
Don’t look up: how Trump’s deregulation drive could obscure the stars and threaten our access to space
Astronomers are warning that the proliferation of satellite constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, are making their work harder than it’s ever been
www.theguardian.com
September 26, 2025 at 3:08 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
The re-entry of Kosmos 482 "draws attention to our planet's growing space junk problem. On average, three sizeable pieces of debris crash back to Earth every day — and that number is only going to go up.”

www.space.com/space-explor...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceDebris
Failed Soviet Venus lander Kosmos 482 crashes to Earth after 53 years in orbit
Kosmos 482 has come home.
www.space.com
May 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"The Trump administration is backing off a rule aimed at stopping commercial space companies from leaving rocket bodies in Earth’s orbit, a practice that experts say could threaten public safety and telecommunications."

www.propublica.org/article/faa-...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceDebris
Amid Crowded Skies, FAA Kills Rule Aimed at Regulating Space Junk
The agency once said that pieces of space debris “pose a significant risk,” but the Trump administration has backed off a rule that would have required companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX to remove rock...
www.propublica.org
March 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"A new study published in Nature finds that reflections from large satellite constellations could interfere with most images taken by some current and future space observatories."

www.discovermagazine.com/satellite-me...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #Astronomy
Satellite Megaconstellations Could Threaten Up to 96 Percent of Space Telescope Images
Learn how expanding satellite megaconstellations in low Earth orbit could introduce widespread light pollution into space telescope observations.
www.discovermagazine.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:08 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"The contemporary LEO boom, far from being a rising tide that lifts all boats, is paradoxically leading to the consolidation of control over the most fundamental resources of spaceflight."

www.thespacereview.com/article/5044/1

#Space #SpaceEnvironment
The Space Review: The LEO toll road: How the constellation gold rush is paving over the path to the planets
www.thespacereview.com
August 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"Access to the night sky is a crucial part of our scientific, religious, and cultural practices across the globe. Right now, one government agency has the power to completely alter the night sky as we know it."

astrobites.org/2026/02/26/r...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceX #DataCenters
Two satellite proposals threaten dark and quiet skies worldwide
Giant mirrors in space to create sunlight at night and an AI data center made up of 1-million satellites are undergoing regulatory approval. How did we get here?
astrobites.org
February 27, 2026 at 5:54 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"@wired.com wrote about Reflect Orbital's giant mirror in September 2024, when the project was still in its early stages. Two years later, the Trump administration has given the green light to this provider of 'on-demand' sunlight."

www.wired.com/story/reflec...

#Space #SpaceEnvironment
The US Approves Launch of Mirror Satellite That Can Reflect Sunlight and Illuminate the Earth at Night
The FCC authorized Reflect Orbital to launch the mirror satellite Eärendil-1. “For optical astronomy, this poses an existential threat,” the European Southern Observatory said.
www.wired.com
July 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
Thanks to Leonard David for covering our recent comments to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on SpaceX's 1 million orbital data centers and Reflect Orbital's "sunlight as a service" #satellite applications.

www.leonarddavid.com/orbital-data...

#FCC #Space #SpaceEnvironment
Orbital Data Centers, Solar Reflectors: Concerns Raised by Space Environmentalism Group
www.leonarddavid.com
March 23, 2026 at 7:40 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"Chinese scientists have developed a compact ultra-powerful energy generator, paving the way for next-generation weapons that could one day be turned on satellite swarms like SpaceX’s Starlink constellation."

www.the-independent.com/tech/china-s...

#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceWarfare #SpaceDebris
China takes big step towards developing ‘Starlink killer’ weapon
Device small enough to be mounted on trucks, aircraft, or even satellites
www.the-independent.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:12 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"@esa.int is already making use of laser technology to detect and monitor #SpaceDebris. But what if we could also use laser technology to actually prevent collisions?"

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

(We note how the answer always seems to be "more tech", not "less pollution".)

#SpaceEnvironment
Moving space debris out of the way with OMLET
www.esa.int
February 17, 2026 at 6:52 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"Rockets have long been known to pollute the atmosphere in various ways. 'There's a lack of policy regarding the environmental impacts of these megaconstellations,' [said] Dr. Connor Barker, a research fellow at University College London."

www.salon.com/2025/04/04/e...

#SpaceEnvironment
Starlink satellites are censoring the stars
With satellite numbers skyrocketing over the next few years, the time to grasp the implications is now
www.salon.com
April 5, 2025 at 9:24 PM
space-environment.bsky.social
"For decades, space safety rules assumed satellite reentries would stay rare. By early 2026, with over 70,000 megaconstellation spacecraft planned, that assumption has collapsed."

indiandefencereview.com/starlink-sat...

#Space #Satellites #SpaceEnvironment
Starlink Is Dropping From the Sky Again and Again. Scientists Warn Earth Is Already Feeling the Effects
For decades, space safety rules assumed satellite reentries would stay rare. By early 2026, with over 70,000 megaconstellation spacecraft planned, that assumption has collapsed.
indiandefencereview.com
February 14, 2026 at 5:47 PM