The space closest to Earth is being filled increasingly quickly with satellites. So far, it is the American Space X that has dominated, with over 6,750 Starlink satellites in orbit.
But the competition is getting tougher, and various companies have plans to place tens of thousands of additional satellites in orbit over the coming years.
Johan Köhler, research chief at the Space Agency, says that researchers primarily see three problems with the increase.
One is the risk that they will collide with each other or other objects. Space X reports that their satellites were moved 100,000 times in one year to avoid collisions.
It's a problem because it can lead to more space debris and ultimately uncontrollable amounts, so that entire orbit plans become impossible to use for space travel, he says.
Disturbing astronomers
The next problem is one that affects astronomers, among others. The sensitive telescopes on Earth are disturbed by the satellites that constantly pass by. Long after darkness has fallen, they reflect light, roughly like a brightly shining star.
Since it's a long exposure on these observations, it becomes like streaks across the entire image. And that destroys the observation, says Köhler.
There is also a cultural dimension, he notes.
If we go out into the darkness, we expect to experience an undisturbed starry sky. With satellites that become visible to the naked eye as they pass over us, we may not be able to experience it in the same way as before.
New ozone hole
The third potential problem is what happens to the worn-out satellites. Today, they burn up in the atmosphere. Then, aerosols, small airborne particles, are formed, including aluminum oxide. Researchers have already established that the substances remain high up in the air layers for a long time. There, they can form clouds, which could affect how much sunlight is reflected away from the planet. There are also theories that the particles can lead to new ozone holes.
This is something that hasn't been seen yet. But you want to understand what it could have for an effect in the future if the amount of particles increases, he says.
Gustav Sjöholm/TT
Facts: Launches are increasing
TT
Last year, 259 launches were made from the Earth's surface, according to Space Foundation. It was the fourth year in a row that launches increased, and another record. Every 34th hour, a rocket took off.
Most launches have the purpose of placing satellites, in many cases in low orbit around the Earth. It is primarily Elon Musk's Space X that is filling the space with thousands of Starlink satellites, which are used for satellite-based internet connectivity.
