Join DarkSkyChi in Voicing Concern Regarding the Commercialization of Space
Satellites are quickly scratching up our night sky with bright streaks. Hundreds of thousands more are planned. Picture: Satellite Streak Watcher/Anecdata.org
In April, Tokyo-based ALE Co., LTD made clear their intention to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund SkyCanvas: a “space entertainment technology company” that will “transform the night sky into a showcase for human-made shooting stars.” The SkyCanvas product will power a commercial service that creates on-demand shooting stars from a network of satellites through a phone app. It is the stated intention of ALE to contribute to climate research while undertaking this commercial enterprise.
DarkSkyChi, Chicago-based members of the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), wishes to voice grave concerns about the intended venture. A product which “lightens the sky to a vast canvas for aerospace entertainment by creating man-made meteors” sets a dangerous precedent for the commercialization of our shared night sky. We present our concerns below and ask that global citizens who value the night sky add their voices to ours by signing our petition here.
The creation of artificial shooting stars conflicts with the “principles to preserve the quiet enjoyment of the night sky.” The IDA outlined these principles in December 2022 in their appeal to the FCC regarding orbital deployment and operating authority of SpaceX, which can be found here. The principles are reproduced below, bolded where infringed upon:
Stewardship of the night sky is a shared responsibility that requires participation and consultation with all stakeholders.
The cumulative impact on night sky brightness attributed to satellites does not exceed 10 percent above natural background levels.
Maintained satellite brightness is below the threshold for detection by the unaided eye.
Satellite visibility is an unusual occurrence.
Launch schedules and orbital parameters are publicly available in advance.
Equally important is the tone SkyCanvas sets for the global community. It perpetuates an attitude that the sky can be sold at the expense of our shared cosmic heritage. Members of DarkSkyChi urge SkyCanvas and their Kickstarter supporters to weigh the long-term ecological cost, and abandon or modify the proposed project to avoid harm to our night sky.
The team behind SkyCanvas, ALE, has additionally developed technology to clean up orbital debris– a service that is sorely needed. DarkSkyChi deeply thanks them for this effort, and supports their trailblazing efforts in this much needed space. We also applaud the company for their desire to contribute to climate research, and request full visibility into these research efforts.
It is the proposed “human-made meteor” service that we call into question, as the current rate of meteoric activity generated from nature is already significant. NASA estimates 48.5 tons of meteoric material generates shooting stars each day. For some this may seem like a staggering number– most of our friends and family are amazed to learn nature produces visible meteors every night. Light pollution from our cities makes them feel rare!
On their public Discord server, SkyCanvas claims their impact “on astronomical observations is limited,” but does not provide statistics to represent a thorough study of their impacts. The environmental impacts statement in their Discord FAQ particularly boasts long-glowing artificial meteorites. This would inherently have an adverse effect on astronomical observations, as a streaking glow would be longer-lasting than a natural meteorite. The product would exacerbate existing issues created by streaks from satellite mega-constellations OneWeb and Starlink which are damaging scientific inquiry and imaging with increasing regularity. The devastating effects of unnecessary satellite brightness are also visible to the naked eye: AST BlueWalker’s first (of 110 planned) satellites can outshine Venus, and is among the 20 brightest objects in the night sky.
Unnecessary satellites, if unmitigated, can mean the end of human space travel for lifetimes to come. If our Earth orbit becomes too crowded with debris from satellites, we risk the induction of Kessler syndrome—a runaway effect of debris that crashes into other satellites, creating a cascading effect of small, bullet-size and speed pieces of shrapnel that are impossible to fully catalog and predict. In recent years, they have been a threat to the International Space Station and its astronauts on board. Even telescopes launched through our low Earth orbit like the James Webb telescope have puncture wounds from debris caused by the proliferation of satellites.
Our desire to consume the cosmos may be what smothers it out.
Our love of the sky is enhanced by astronomy. Astronomers peer deep into space to uncover everything from supermassive black holes to our own Earthly origins. However, scientific observation will quickly become impossible if we permit commercial satellites to pollute our Earth or send spontaneous streaks through the atmosphere. No one owns the stars. They can’t be sold, nor can they be purchased as shooting stars, as SkyCanvas has proposed.
SkyCanvas has sought local cursory approvals from authorities in Japan, but their actions have broad, global impacts. Unfortunately, there are no global laws addressing this issue. Instead, the willingness of the consumer to pay for these services is the sole driving force. Until recently, it was thought that the high cost of satellite launches prevented these issues from becoming a pressing concern; but the landscape has changed, especially given the support of consumer crowdfunding like the Kickstarter for SkyCanvas. The purchasing power of consumers may well be weaponized by commercial interests to scar the night sky.
Just as we wouldn't build an apartment complex in a national park, members of DarkSkyChi urge consumers and CEOs to refrain from funding the exploitation of our low Earth orbit for commercial gain. We urge you, reader, to join us in loudly voicing space is Nature, and not to support SkyCanvas and like ventures. The future of space exploration and our ability to celebrate our shared heritage with an unobstructed view of the night sky is a fundamental human right that we do not condone being offered for purchase.
DarkSkyChi invites groups and individuals who support our perspective to sign our petition located here.
Sincerely,
Lindsay DeMarchi (Chicago IDA)
Dayna Bateman (Chicago IDA)
Valerie Blaine (Chicago IDA)
Ken Walczak (Chicago IDA)
DarkSkyChi is the Chicago-based subgroup of the International Dark Sky Association. The signatories of this open letter are founding members of DarkSkyChi.
