Portuguese 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
0 comments 
SpaceX’s orbital data centers project reignites debate on low orbit occupation, star visibility, and the limits of space regulation in the face of a constellation that could multiply illuminated objects in the night sky.
SpaceX, the aerospace company led by Elon Musk, has placed orbital data centers at the center of its new growth bet and has requested authorization from U.S. regulators to launch up to 1 million satellites dedicated to data processing in space.
Still dependent on regulatory approval, the project has amplified astronomers’ criticisms about artificial lighting in the night sky and the environmental risks linked to a constellation of this scale, capable of altering naked-eye observation and terrestrial research.
With the company’s initial public offering, the proposal gained more weight in the financial market, as SpaceX priced its IPO at $135 per share, raised $75 billion, and was valued at $1.77 trillion, according to Reuters.
-
Airplanes will be ‘made’ by robots: Airbus launches a machine weighing only 4 kg that reduces seat installation time from 150 to 30 minutes, achieves millimetric precision, and is already set to debut in the production of the A321 XLR.
-
4 habits of people with superior intelligence that psychology associates with high mental performance: study shows link between intellect, active curiosity, review of opinions, attention control, and ability to learn from new evidence
-
American company receives historic authorization to build the world’s first nuclear fusion plant in Washington and promises to deliver 50 MW of energy to Microsoft’s data center by 2028, even without proven commercial technology.
-
FBI builds secret city with hospital, market, station, and data center to simulate hacker attacks capable of disrupting essential services
The company’s shares were scheduled to begin trading on Nasdaq on June 12, under the code SPCX, in a debut that presented orbital infrastructure as part of the company’s expansion strategy.
In the material presented to investors, SpaceX associated the use of satellites for processing with the advancement of artificial intelligence and the offering of low-latency digital services, utilizing solar energy in orbit and reducing pressure on terrestrial data centers.
Orbital data centers and the impact on the night sky
Among astronomers, the main concern is the number of illuminated objects in orbit, which could alter naked-eye sky observation and affect scientific research conducted by telescopes installed on the Earth’s surface.
The risk pointed out by experts occurs because satellites positioned in certain orbits can continue to reflect sunlight even after nightfall, becoming visible in large numbers during important periods for astronomical observation.
To measure this potential effect in a large Brazilian metropolis, Professor Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, simulated the impact of the constellation on the sky of São Paulo.
In the scenario calculated for the summer solstice on December 21, the number of SpaceX satellites visible in the São Paulo sky could increase from zero to 14,072 objects, if the plan were fully executed.
“We still underestimate the sizes of the satellites, according to the data that SpaceX presented later, after the FCC’s comment period ended,” stated Lawler.
At the Canadian latitude analyzed in the original study, the projection cited by astronomers approaches 40,000 visible satellites, compared to about 5,000 observable stars, a scenario that intensified warnings about the scale of the project.
SpaceX’s Request Advances at the FCC
The project’s advancement depends on the FCC, the United States Federal Communications Commission, the body responsible for analyzing requests related to satellite communication systems in the country.
During the regulatory evaluation, the agency opened a public comment period on the proposal, a necessary step to receive input from researchers, companies, civil organizations, and citizens interested in the impacts of an orbital network of this scale.
The specialized magazine Sky & Telescope reported that the deadline for comments on SpaceX’s request ended on March 6, after a process considered quick by astronomers and competitors following the case.
This speed provoked a reaction from astronomers, environmentalists, specialized journalists, and night sky observers, who question the lack of details about satellite dimensions, orbital trajectories, and accumulated effects on star visibility.
The process gathered more than 1,500 petitions, according to the data cited in the case, with the majority opposing the project and comments focused on the potential impacts of the constellation on science, the environment, and night observation.
In parallel, another startup, Starcloud, supported by Google and Nvidia, also submitted a request to launch 88,000 satellites with a similar purpose, although the proposal had not advanced to public consultation at the same pace attributed to SpaceX’s case.
Environmental Argument is Contested by Researchers
SpaceX argues that orbital data centers could save water and electricity on Earth, as they would use almost continuous solar radiation to power the equipment and reduce part of the demand for large processing structures on the ground.
Also part of the company’s defense is the promise to reduce delays in digital services, especially in applications that require fast and distributed processing, such as financial operations, streaming platforms, and systems linked to artificial intelligence.
Among researchers, however, this justification faces resistance, mainly because maintaining computing equipment in orbit would require frequent component replacements and a high volume of space launches over the years.
Professor Hanno Rein, an astronomer at the University of Toronto, classified the environmental defense of the project as “the biggest greenwashing in history,” contesting the idea that the constellation would represent a sustainable solution for the expansion of data centers.
For Rein, the frequent exchange of chips used in artificial intelligence would pressure space logistics, as these components quickly become obsolete due to technological advancement and would need to be renewed to maintain processing capacity.
In addition to emissions associated with rockets, critics cite possible impacts from the reentry of satellites into the atmosphere, a stage where materials can disintegrate and generate debris or chemical byproducts that are still little studied on a large scale.
Another technical obstacle involves heat dissipation in a vacuum, as space data centers would not have water or air for cooling and would rely on large radiative areas to prevent equipment overheating.
With larger structures for solar energy generation and thermal control, the satellites could reflect more light towards Earth, precisely increasing the brightness problem that concerns astronomers and night sky observers.
Space regulation does not cover satellite brightness
Under current rules, satellite launches mainly depend on authorization from national telecommunications bodies, even though their effects may cross borders and affect astronomical observations in different regions of the planet.
In the United States, this role falls to the FCC; in Brazil, satellite communication systems go through Anatel in their regulatory competencies, while international governance involves the International Telecommunication Union, linked to the UN.
In practice, however, approval is usually delegated to countries, a model that worries specialists because American rules do not provide broad criteria for evaluating sky brightness, interference with telescopes, or long-term environmental impacts.
For critics, a decision on a constellation of up to 1 million satellites should not depend solely on rules created for much smaller networks, especially when potential effects spread across low orbit and terrestrial observation.
Lucas Fonseca, CEO of the aerospace company Airvantis, summarized the regulatory problem by stating that, under current models, a national entity can release a massive number of satellites for a company based in its territory.
The observation reinforces the debate about who should decide on projects with global consequences for Earth’s low orbit, especially when they involve private companies, strategic digital infrastructure, and possible impacts on science and the environment.
Before transforming the plan into a commercial operation, SpaceX still needs to overcome technical and regulatory uncertainties linked to the development of the Starship, a rocket considered essential to reduce hardware transportation costs to space.
According to Reuters, company executives told investors that initial orbital computing tests could occur by the end of 2027, before a commercial deployment described as possible from 2028.
Be the first to react!