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New petition seeks FCC pause on orbital datacenter licenses
The petition argues emissions from satellites and rocket burnup could damage the ozone layer and destabilize the climate, and it asks for FCC review before new licenses are issued.
A new US petition urges the Federal Communications Commission to pause new licenses for “orbital datacenters” proposed by space companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin, warning that the plans could be environmentally catastrophic, the Guardian Business reports. The petition says multiple companies have advanced proposals to deploy millions of satellites, which it warns could release pollutants from rocket burnup and spacecraft re-entry. It also alleges that pollution could accumulate in the stratosphere and include black soot, rare metals, and aluminum oxides, with effects described as unknown.
The petition further argues the pollution could destroy the ozone layer, raise exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and destabilize the planet amid the climate crisis. It adds that millions of satellites could also create significant light pollution that affects both the sky and conditions on Earth.
Filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Earthjustice, and DarkSky International, the petition calls for a stop on new licenses on the grounds that the projects violate federal law. It also criticizes the companies for describing their plans in sweeping terms while allegedly refusing to embrace inquiry into environmental, scientific, and economic impacts.