According to a new study led by NASA, the rapidly growing number of satellites orbiting Earth is causing a dramatic surge in “space light-pollution.” This pollution could spoil up to 95% or more of the images captured by many space telescopes — threatening decades of astronomical research and our view of the universe.
What the Study Found — Sky Full of Satellites, Space Full of Noise
- The study simulated the impact of planned satellite megaconstellations on telescopes in low-Earth orbit. It found that for telescopes like SPHEREx, ARRAKIHS (a future ESA observatory), and Xuntian Space Telescope (planned by China), up to 96% of their images could be contaminated by stray reflections and “satellite trails.”
- Even established observatories are affected: for example, Hubble Space Telescope could see approximately one-third (around 40%) of its images tarnished with satellite-trace contamination — a massive jump from past decades.
- The problem stems from the dramatic increase in satellites: from just a few thousand in 2019 to more than 15,000 satellites in 2025, and projections show the number could climb to over 500,000–560,000 in the next decade, if all proposed constellations are deployed.
- When these satellites catch sunlight — from the sun, moon or Earth — they reflect or emit light, creating bright streaks or “trails” across telescope images. These streaks not only obscure faint cosmic objects but also render long-exposure astrophysical images nearly useless.
Why It Matters — Astronomy, Science & the Future of Space Exploration
🔭 Threat to Scientific Discoveries
Space telescopes are critical for observing distant galaxies, detecting exoplanets, studying cosmic events, and exploring the early universe. With up to 96% of images at risk, many planned scientific missions may yield degraded or unusable data.
🌌 Loss of “Clear Sky” Advantage
One big benefit of space telescopes has always been their clear vantage point — free from Earth’s atmospheric distortions and ground-based light pollution. But now, man-made “space light pollution” threatens to eliminate that advantage.
⏳ Time-sensitive Issue
Because satellite launches are accelerating globally, the problem grows daily. Once constellations are in place, reversing the damage may prove extremely difficult, and future telescopes may never get a clean “unpolluted” sky to observe.
🔁 Wider Impact on Ground-Based Astronomy
Although this study focuses on space telescopes, ground-based observatories & wide-field sky surveys are also heavily affected by satellite and orbital light pollution — intensifying the global challenge for astronomy.
What Could Be Done — Mitigation Efforts & Industry Calls
Researchers outline several possible strategies to mitigate the impact:
- Reduce satellite reflectivity: Use darker, less reflective materials or special coatings to make satellites less bright
- Optimize satellite orbits: Avoid placing too many satellites at altitudes or inclinations that intersect telescope fields of view — or coordinate launch windows to minimise overlap with observations.
- Regulatory coordination: International space-traffic regulation and agreements to treat orbits as a shared “global commons,” balancing commercial satellite deployment with scientific and environmental needs.
- Improved image-processing & correction algorithms: Develop advanced software that can detect and mask satellite trails — though these are partial fixes and may not restore the faintest data.
Quotes from Researchers
“As telescopes stare at the universe attempting to unveil distant galaxies, planets and asteroids, satellites sometimes cross in front of their cameras, leaving bright traces of light that erase the dim signal that we receive from the cosmos.” — Alejandro Borlaff (NASA), lead author of the study.
He calls the trend “a very severe threat” to the future of observational astronomy in low-Earth orbit.
Bigger Picture — What This Means for Humanity’s View of the Cosmos
The explosion of satellite-based internet and communication networks — like megaconstellations intended to bring broadband everywhere — has a hidden cost: the sky above us, once pristine, is becoming glutted with human-made objects.
If unchecked, this may mark the end of the “dark and clear” skies that made deep-space discovery possible. The consequences echo beyond astronomy: our understanding of the universe, dark matter, cosmic history — even science fiction dreams — may all be dimmed by the glitter of Earth’s own technology.
Conclusion
The new NASA-led study warns that satellite pollution may spoil up to 95% of images from many space telescopes within the coming years. With thousands of new satellites being launched each month and hundreds of thousands more planned, the crisis for astrophotography and space science is real — and urgent action is needed.
Without mitigation, the night sky as we knew it may be lost forever — not just for astronomers, but for humanity’s future view of the cosmos.
