Companies are launching unprecedented numbers of rockets to put global Wi-Fi and 5G satellites into the sky. 100,000+ satellites, plus drones and balloons, are planned.
Industry and government have done little research, claiming the “big sky” can absorb any problems. And the FCC exempts these satellite networks from environmental review.
However, there are major problems:
- Ozone destruction
- Pollution: rocket exhaust gases, black carbon, alumina, other toxic chemicals
- Fossil fuel use and climate impacts
- Debris and satellite accumulation, collision risk
- De-orbiting pollution, casualties and fires
- RF-radiation impacts to humans, wildlife, plants, and trees
- Loss of night sky, interference with astronomy
- RF interference with GPS, airplanes, weather satellites
- Global electrical circuit interference
- Solar flare disruption to satellites and connected IoT network societies
- Energy use
The Earth and sky together are one living organism. Harming the sky and Earth risks all life and future generations.