Multiple environmental organizations and space industry experts have submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission requesting a moratorium on new licenses for space-based datacenter projects. The petition, filed by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Earthjustice, and DarkSky International, contends that proposed orbital datacenters by major tech companies would generate severe atmospheric pollution with potentially irreversible consequences.
According to the groups, the spacecraft involved in these operations release significant quantities of black soot, rare metals, aluminum oxides, and other pollutants during launch and satellite decommissioning. Scientists express concern that these materials, injected into the stratosphere over extended periods, could compromise the ozone layer, increase ultraviolet radiation exposure, and destabilize the planet during an ongoing climate crisis. The petition argues that the affected companies have not adequately investigated or disclosed these environmental risks in their FCC applications.
The stratosphere contains sulfuric acid aerosols that play a critical role in regulating Earth’s temperature and protecting against radiation. Late 2023 research detected metals in these aerosols, raising questions about interactions between spacecraft debris and this sensitive atmospheric system that remain largely unstudied. Additionally, light pollution from the proposed satellite constellations poses separate threats to nocturnal wildlife, including documented declines in insect populations.
The number of satellites in orbit has grown exponentially from approximately 1,400 in 2015 to around 15,000 currently, with projections suggesting 100,000 or more within the coming decade. Several proposed projects seek to establish constellations exceeding 20,000 satellites. The petition asserts that tech companies’ FCC applications lack meaningful environmental mitigation strategies and that federal law requires the Commission to assess whether these projects serve the public interest before granting approval. Former federal space officials have expressed skepticism about the feasibility and wisdom of these ventures given environmental uncertainties.
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