The sky is becoming an increasingly crowded place. Over the last several years, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite market has increased exponentially, as multiple players have become interested in establishing an atmospheric LEO satellite infrastructure. What began in 2019 with the first batch of Starlink satellites has exploded to include Amazon Leo, and will soon include former Amazon boss Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company, as it gears up to enter the market with its TeraWave network. China has also launched its own mega-constellation of satellites, in the form of its Guowang and Qianfan networks.
According to Harvard Universitythere’s over 14,000 active satellites orbiting Earth’s lower atmosphere as of early 2026, and that number will only climb, as the market is forecast to reach $108 billion by 2035 and could encompass over 70,000 satellites, per Goldman Sachs. Other estimates put it at over 100,000. While billionaires and world governments continue to industrialize space, it begs the question of what effect it has on climate and Earth’s atmosphere. This isn’t a question that Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos are likely to ask anytime soon –- but it is one scientists and astronomers are asking.
The answer? Unique pollution that could potentially further disrupt Earth’s climate and deplete the ozone layer as these satellites de-orbit. Starlink has reported the destruction of over 200 satellites between 2025 and 2026, with more to come — and we don’t fully understand what that means for the atmosphere. What’s worse, the FCC is mulling the idea of making satellite operators effectively exempt from the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), presumably in an effort to expedite the launch of future satellites as the US competes to win the commercial space race.
Self-destructing satellites produce a new kind of pollution
When LEO satellites are de-orbited, they are aimed to land in the ocean, away from people and property. But that is really only a backup measure, as the LEO satellites like those of Starlink and Amazon Leo are designed to use their hall-effect thrusters and propulsion tanks to de-orbit at end of life, and then incinerate upon re-entry into the atmosphere. LEO satellites have a finite lifespan, usually to the tune of 7 to 10 years; Starlink satellites are designed to de-orbit after 5 years, and Amazon Leo satellites are designed to reach end-of-life at 7 years.
Despite their design, these satellites don’t always completely vaporize as they re-enter the atmosphere. A fragment from a de-orbiting Starlink satellite came crashing down onto a farm in Canada in 2025, highlighting how these satellites are creating space debris that may not only make it to Earth, but could also linger in orbit long enough to collide into other satellites. Such a collision could set off a catastrophic chain reaction known as the Kessler Effect, meaning one collision could have a cascading effect, creating more space debris and more collisions. Starlink has already had close calls, with the company having to lower over 4,000 satellites to avoid collision with China’s satellites.
Beyond space debris, as the satellites do burn up –- be it the entire satellite or just part of it –- they release a concoction of heavy metal pollutants. Studies into the topic have shown worrying levels of lead, lithium, copper, and aluminum collecting in the stratosphere, where the critically important ozone layer exists. These metals create metal aerosols that can contaminate the stratosphere, and accelerate ozone layer depletion. Early research pegs an estimated 3,500 metric tons of metal aerosols will be added to the atmosphere annually by 2033, as more satellites are continually decommissioned and re-enter the atmosphere.
The space race is a new era, and it will require new policies
To curb the alarming effects of thousands of satellites exiting and re-entering the atmosphere, the burgeoning space industry will have to become more sustainable. Under NEPA, satellite constellations would be subject to environmental scrutiny and review. However, since 1986, satellites have been categorically excluded from NEPA, an FCC decision that predated the rapid rise of satellite constellations. This is a decision that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has urged the FCC to reconsider, and that is a sentiment that groups such as The American Astronomical Society, DarkSky International, and the Alliance to Reduce Light Pollution in Connecticut all agree on.
Starlink alone disposed of 260 satellites in just a span of six months –- between December 2025 and May 2026 –- according to a semi-annual report filed with the FCC. Starlink has also decommissioned another 349 satellites during that time that will be re-entering the atmosphere in the upcoming months. While it’s too early for anyone to have answers on the global impact of the growing space industry, early suggestions include trying to create a more circular economy for the satellites.
That would include making it financially viable for satellite operators to find new ways to de-orbit, and then recover the satellites. They could then be recycled properly, or even upcycled for parts. Other suggestions have included exploring methods to refuel the satellites to extend their life, or looking into alternative fuels that may be more carbon friendly, and different construction materials that could reduce the amount of metal pollution when the satellites are vaporized. Starlink already has a considerable headstart in the telecom-from-space market, and we’ve already seen how Starlink can do a lot more than just provide fast internet. As a market leader, there’s no reason to believe that Starlink can’t set the sustainability example for others to follow.
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