Henny Penny was right: How ‘commercial space’ is changing the night sky and what’s being done about it

A major shift in how humanity accesses and uses outer space is underway, as activities once dominated by governments are increasingly driven by private commercial interests. This transition has rapidly reshaped near-Earth orbital space and has already begun to change the appearance of the night sky in unprecedented ways.

In this talk, John Barentine traces the history of space exploration up to the emergence of satellite “megaconstellations” in 2019, before examining the significant changes of the past six years and their effects on everyone from professional astronomers to casual stargazers.

He also explores current efforts to influence spacecraft design and international policy, aimed at reducing the impact of satellites on astronomy and the global nighttime environment, before looking ahead to emerging challenges likely to shape the future of space in the late 2020s.