An illustration of satellites breaking up in Earth orbit. (Image credit: Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty Images) By Richard Speed, Published by The Register, 31 March 2026 Starlink satellite 34343 has suffered an "anomaly on-orbit," spraying debris at an altitude of approximately 560 km above Earth. The company recently passed the
A simulation of the full network of Starlink satellites when their first 12,000 satellites are up - an additional 30,000 have been requested. While delivering high-speed internet globally is a noble goal, destroying ground-based astronomy, astrophotography, and even stargazing as a hobby should be reckoned with as extraordinary collateral damage.
This photo depicts the satellite-filled sky that is now a reality and getting more crowded every week. The image consists of exposures taken over a 30-minute stretch in June 2024 from a latitude of 51 degrees north, when satellites even in low Earth orbit are lit all night by sunlight.
Satellite streaks, like the ones seen in this composite image, are a subject of increasing concern for astronomers. And SpaceX's plan to launch a million AI data centers in space could make the problem much worse. Image: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images By Tereza Putarova, Published by Space.com,
A long-exposure photograph in the northern hemisphere showing satellites in the night skyAlan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images By Tori Bonidie and Magnus L'Argent, Published by Astrobites, 26 February 2026 Across regions and borders, cultures and customs, the one thing we share is the night sky. Access to the
Artist's impression of a Falcon 9 upper stage with payload in 2015. (SpaceX) By Robyn Schofield & Robert George Ryan, Published by Science Alert, 23 February 2026 Space junk returning to the Earth is introducing metal pollution to the pristine upper atmosphere as it burns up on re-entry, a new
The Falcon 9 upper stage re-entering the atmosphere above Berlin, Germany, on February 19, 2025. Gerd Baumgarten By Passant Rabie, Published by Space & Spaceflight, 19 February 2026 For the first time, scientists were able to directly detect upper-atmospheric pollution from space debris. On February 19, 2025, a Falcon 9
Long exposure photographs showed the Falcon 9 rocket debris over Berlin in 2025 By Georgina Rannard, Published by the BBC, 19 February 2026 When a SpaceX rocket failure set the skies aflame over western Europe last February, no-one was sure if the debris was also polluting our atmosphere. Now scientists
