Astronomers model SpaceX's 1-million-satellite plan, finding naked-eye satellites could outnumber stars
Researchers modeling SpaceX's proposed up-to-a-million orbital AI data-centre satellites—an upper limit in FCC filings—find that, with assumed sizes and reflectivity, large portions of the night sky could host tens to hundreds of thousands of satellites brighter than magnitude 5, potentially outnumbering stars at certain latitudes and times. The results come from an “if built as filed” scenario, not a guaranteed deployment, since the filing is an upper bound and actual hardware and orbital rules may change. Brightness depends on solar illumination, orientation, and mitigation strategies; the study calls for regulatory oversight and deliberate brightness limits to avoid compromising astronomy.