Plasma physicist Sierra Solter has sounded the alarm that this surge of internet satellites burning up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere could pose risks to the planet's magnetic field.
Having delved into the issue for more than a year, Solter's concerns center around the debris generated by disintegrating satellites. This dust and ash are accumulating in both the ionosphere and magnetosphere. These particles, being conductive, might induce charging effects and serve as a magnetic shield, potentially altering Earth's magnetic field, reported The Guardian.
"In 10 to 15 years, we could have up to 100,000 satellites," remarked Dr Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.
These satellites fuel the growth of ultra-connected internet services, which could potentially transform some billionaires into trillionaires, but at the expense of surrounding Earth with harmful debris.
Earth's magnetic field plays a pivotal role in shielding the planet from detrimental solar radiation and is vital for preserving its atmosphere. Solter highlights that the current presence of debris in the ionosphere already exhibits a distinct human-made electrostatic signature.
Given the plans of various companies to deploy tens of thousands of additional satellites over the next few decades, Solter emphasizes the need for extensive research to comprehend the potential repercussions on the magnetosphere. She advocates for mandatory environmental impact assessments of satellites prior to their launch.
"Space companies need to stop launching satellites if they can't provide studies that show that their pollution will not harm the stratosphere and magnetosphere. Until this pollution is studied further, we should all reconsider satellite internet," Solter asserted.