What’s Stirring the Galactic Pot in the Starlink Satellites Controversy?

Starlink satellite internet could have an astronomical impact on astronomy. Astronomers, regulators, and hobbyists have consistently voiced concerns since before the initial launch. What’s propelling the Starlink controversy?

Starlink’s Scale Has Caused Controversy

Elon Musk founded the aerospace company SpaceX in 2002. Nearly two decades later, he launched the first Starlink satellites to provide high-speed internet to underserved populations worldwide.

Starlink is the first — and largest — satellite constellation in the world. When it launched in 2019, only 60 satellites went up. As of 2024, there are over 5,000 in orbit, and a few thousand are on deck. As many as 42,000 could be circling the globe in a few years.

Part of the reason why Starlink satellite internet has been such a huge success is its altitude. While other similar internet services rely on a handful of massive satellites tens of thousands of miles above sea level, this constellation uses thousands of them much closer to Earth.

Remarkably, while low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites span roughly 100-1,200 miles above sea level, Starlink operates at just under 350. Its proximity to Earth makes it much more reliable than similar services.

Admittedly, most of Musks’ achievements with Starlink have drawn concern from astronomers, environmentalists, and hobbyists. While the satellite constellation’s scale is undoubtedly impressive, it has drawbacks.

The Ongoing Debate About Starlink Satellites

While Musk is familiar with criticism, the Starlink controversy is arguably the biggest he’s dealt with. It’s been dragging on since launch and only intensifies as the project progresses.

Ozone Depletion

Even Elon Musk can’t design a satellite that lasts forever. He’ll have to deorbit and replace each one eventually — which will put a hole in the ozone layer. While meteoroids contain less than 1% aluminum, satellites use the material almost exclusively. When they burn up upon re-entry, they produce aluminum oxide, a compound known to cause ozone depletion.

Collisions

Although NASA admits the collision probability of auto-maneuverable spacecraft is near zero, it asserts satellite constellations have a higher chance of failure. It’s right, apparently, since SpaceX began deorbiting 100 satellites in early 2024 due to potential operability failures.

Small satellites need an accuracy of plus or minus 1 millimeter regardless of size. If their center of gravity is off even by a fraction of a unit, their trajectory skews and their collision risk increases.

In response, SpaceX is acting out of an abundance of caution. Starlink satellites perform maneuvers when the collision probability is greater than 1 in 100,000 — while NASA views a threshold of 1 in 10,000 as acceptable.

Space Debris

The Kessler syndrome describes a scenario where the density of LEO objects is high enough to cause a domino effect. It’s a vicious cycle where collisions create space debris that causes further collisions. Satellite constellations are at high risk for such a scenario.

How Starlink Satellites Interfere With Astronomers

Many astronomers are up in arms — or at least voicing their concern — over light pollution, environmental hazards, and orbital threats caused by Starlink.

Launch Window Interference

NASA has repeatedly voiced its displeasure about Starlink. One complaint revolves around how the satellites pass between the International Space Station and Earth — which could complicate deliveries.

Optical Interference

Satellites’ reflections produce long, white streaks on long-exposure photos. For one astronomical survey station, this means 20% of the images taken at twilight are flawed or unusable. If SpaceX continues expanding Starlink, this issue will worsen.

Radio-Frequency Interference

Starlink satellites’ electronic components and radio signals cause electromagnetic radiation and radio interference. Radio-based astronomers say it impacts their equipment readings.

What Starlink Does for Consumers Despite the Controversy

Despite its less-than-stellar reputation, Starlink satellite internet offers a decent connection. While similar satellite-based services have a latency of 600 milliseconds or more, it reaches as low as 25 ms — which is on par with service providers who aren’t operating in space.

Starlink is surprisingly fast, too. Most users report download speeds of more than 100 Mbps and 5-20 Mbps upload speeds. That’s enough bandwidth to stream HD video, work from home, game online, or video call friends.

By all accounts, it seems Musk is achieving his goal with Starlink. Considering the median download speed in rural America tops out at 45 Mbps, his 100 Mbps connection is a massive upgrade for many people.

How Much Does Starlink Satellite Internet Cost?

Most people can get Starlink satellite internet starting at $120 per month, a slight jump from the $110 launch price tag. While the monthly bill is reasonable, the $599 installation cost for the router, dish, and cable kit is less stellar.

How much does Starlink satellite internet cost for a higher-tier plan? Regional residential can cost up to $150, and global residential is priced as high as $200. Business plans are much more expensive. While users don’t get faster speeds by upgrading, they’ll receive priority support, portability, network priority, or a wider coverage area.

Crucially, people opting for higher-tier priority plans must spend $2,500 for high-performance hardware instead of $599. Even though it’s a one-time purchase for long-term benefits, the sticker shock is real.

Is Starlink Satellite Internet Worth the Cost?

Starlink might be worth the cost for people who are always on the move, live in rural areas, or are a fan of Musk’s work. Those living in cities with many affordable options won’t get much out of dropping over $700 upfront — even if it means they don’t have to sign a contract.

Those willing to pay the high Starlink satellite internet cost will get decent speeds and a reliable connection. Besides, there’s no telling how the service will evolve and improve as Musk advances his aerospace technology.

Musk’s Plans for the Future of Starlink

There’s little chance the Starlink controversy will soon subside, so Musk will likely collaborate with international regulators and astronomers to find a compromise. Anyone using Starlink satellite internet shouldn’t worry about losing access to their expensive home internet setup in the meantime.

Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine, an online publication that explores innovations in science and technology.