Environmental impacts of increasing numbers of artificial space objects

For much of their existence, the environmental benefits artificial satellites, particularly through provision remotely sensed data, seem likely to have greatly exceeded costs. With dramatic current and projected growth in number Earth-observation other satellites low Earth orbit, this trade-off now needs be considered more carefully. Here we highlight range impacts satellite technology, taking a life-cycle approach evaluate from manufacture, launch, burn-up during de-orbiting. These include use renewable nonrenewable resources (including those associated with transmission, long-term storage, distribution data), atmospheric consequences rocket launches de-orbiting, changing nighttime sky on humans organisms. Initial estimations scale some are sufficient underscore need for detailed investigations identify potential means by which can reduced mitigated.