Trending Now - Experts Caution on Satellite Mega-constellations as Geoengineering Risk

WHO:

Gizmodo - Eloise Marais, a professor of atmospheric chemistry and air quality at University College London, is the project lead of the study.

Space.com - The article discusses scientists concerned about the impact of satellite megaconstellations.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - SpaceX applied for permission to launch 1 million Starlink satellites, in addition to the 10,000 already in orbit.

Gizmodo - The commercial satellite industry revenue accounted for 71% of the world’s space business in 2025.

Gizmodo - A record number of 4,434 satellites were deployed into Earth orbit in 2025, marking a 65% increase from 2024.

Gizmodo - Megaconstellations contributed about 35% to the total climate impact of the space sector in 2020, expected to rise to 42% by 2029.

Gizmodo - Black carbon from kerosene-fueled rocket launches has a cooling effect about 500 times greater than soot from ground-based sources.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - The study discusses the impact of satellite pollution on Earth's atmosphere, particularly at altitudes of 6 to 7 miles (10 to 12 kilometers) above the surface.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - The findings of the study were published on May 14 in the journal Earth’s Future.

Gizmodo - The analysis projects emissions from megaconstellations through 2029.

WHY:

Gizmodo - Scientists warn that the pollution from megaconstellations could interfere with astronomical observations and impact the climate.

Gizmodo - The study suggests that the unregulated growth of satellite launches may lead to significant environmental consequences.

HOW:

Gizmodo - The researchers used data from a global inventory of air pollution from megaconstellation deployment and implemented it into a 3D atmospheric chemistry model to assess future impacts.

Gizmodo - The study evaluated predictions against two years of actual data for 2023-2024 to improve reliability.

(UPDATED May 19, 2026 06:22 UTC)

A new study led by Eloise Marais, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at University College London, highlights concerns over the environmental impact of satellite megaconstellations, particularly as SpaceX seeks permission to launch an additional one million Starlink satellites on top of the ten thousand already in orbit. The research indicates that emissions from these megaconstellations could rise significantly, contributing to about 42% of the climate impact from the space sector by 2029, and warns that this pollution may disrupt astronomical observations. Using a 3D atmospheric chemistry model, researchers assessed future impacts based on a global inventory of air pollution from satellite launches, comparing their predictions with actual data from 2023 to 2024 for improved accuracy.