SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, is betting on orbital data centers as one of its new growth pillars. The company requested authorization from United States regulators to launch a megaconstellation with up to 1 million satellites dedicated to data processing in space.
Still awaiting regulatory approval, the initiative has intensified criticism from scientists and astronomers. They point out concerns about the increase in artificial lighting in the night sky and the possible environmental risks that a constellation of this magnitude can generate, affecting naked-eye observation and scientific research carried out on Earth.
With the company’s initial public offering of shares, the proposal gained more relevance in the financial market. SpaceX priced its IPO at US$135 per share, raising US$75 billion and reaching a market valuation of US$1.77 trillion, according to information from Reuters.
Trading of the company’s shares, under the ticker symbol SPCX, was scheduled to begin on the Nasdaq on June 12. This debut highlighted orbital infrastructure as a crucial component in the company’s expansion strategy.
In materials distributed to investors, SpaceX connected the use of satellites for data processing to the advancement of artificial intelligence. The company aims to offer digital services with low latency, taking advantage of solar energy in orbit and, consequently, reducing the burden on data centers located on the Earth’s surface.
Astronomers’ concerns about luminosity in the night sky
Among astronomy experts, the main concern lies in the vast number of illuminated celestial bodies that could orbit the Earth. This massive presence has the potential to compromise naked-eye viewing of the sky and interfere with scientific investigations conducted by ground-based telescopes.
The problem highlighted by several researchers occurs because these satellites, when positioned in certain orbits, can reflect sunlight even after sunset. This would make them visible in large numbers during crucial periods for astronomical observation.
To quantify this possible impact on a large Brazilian city, professor Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina, in Canada, carried out a specific simulation for the sky of São Paulo.
In the scenario designed for the summer solstice, which occurs on December 21st, the estimate is that the number of SpaceX satellites visible in the sky of the capital of São Paulo would go from zero to an alarming 14,072 objects, if the project was fully implemented.
“We still underestimate the sizes of the satellites, based on data that SpaceX subsequently presented after the FCC comment period closed,” Lawler stated.
At Canadian latitude, which was the basis of the original study, the projection mentioned by astronomers points to around 40 thousand visible satellites. This number contrasts sharply with the approximately 5,000 stars observable with the naked eye, a scenario that intensified warnings about the magnitude of the project.
Progress of SpaceX’s application to the regulatory agency FCC
The progress of the initiative is subject to approval by the FCC, the United States Federal Communications Commission. This body is responsible for examining requests related to space satellite communication systems in the country.
During the regulatory analysis process, the agency opened a period for public comments on the proposal. This step is essential to collect comments from researchers, companies, civil organizations and citizens who may be affected or interested in the impacts of an orbital network of such size.
The specialized magazine Sky & Telescope reported that the period for sending statements about SpaceX’s request ended on March 6. The procedure was considered quite agile by astronomers and competing companies that closely follow the process.