Space Environmentalism"Reducing the amount of debris orbiting Earth in space requires more international cooperation, the acting CEO of the Saudi Space Agency said at a Riyadh event on Monday. Speaking at the opening address of the Space Debris Conference 2026, Dr. Mohammed Al-Tamimi highlighted the importance of tackling waste orbiting the planet."
We have published our Manifesto, a document that lays out the rationale for the existence of CSE, summarizes our vision for humanity's future in #space, and calls people, governments and private actors everywhere to take action to realize that future.
Read the document here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18283974
The Trump Administration's recent executive order loosening regulatory oversight of U.S. #space #launch facilities led us to issue our first public position, which is opposed to weakening crucial environmental protections at and near launch sites. Read our position and the evidence that supports it here: https://www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/actions/positions/us-launch-site-nepa-eo
CSE Opposes Weakening U.S. Environmental Review Standards For Launch Sites
Introduction and background On August 13, 2025, the U.S. Administration issued an Executive Order titled “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry”. The Order aims to ease federal regulation of the commercial space industry and includes provisions to speed the licensing process for
"The ideal of a dark and quiet sky is one many astronomers fight to protect. ... Preservation of the night sky across the electromagnetic spectrum is an extension of the stewardship of a human environment that now goes beyond our planet and reaches toward the cosmic ocean. It is also key to the future of astronomical discoveries."
https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/online/44173/Threats-to-the-dark-and-quiet-sky
#Astronomy #RadioAstronomy #LightPollution #Satellites #Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceEnvironmentalism
"With the rapid expansion of commercial space flight, thousands of satellites are being launched each year. Yet few owners have plans to remove them from orbit in a controlled way. Everyone, everywhere — on Earth’s surface, flying in aeroplanes, as well as in space — is increasingly at risk from these projectiles. Space-faring nations and companies must urgently address this threat."
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00797-7
#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceEnvironmentalism #SpaceDebris #Space #SpacePolicy
Dr. John Barentine FRAS"Satellite technology has transitioned from a tool of scientific exploration to a
mechanical entity of global control. This paper argues that modern satellite technology reinforces capitalist and patriarchal structures, concentrating power in the hands of the elite."
Springer International has just released "Space Ecology: From Earth to Moon and Mars", by Patrizia Caraveo. The book "extends the concept of environmental protection to orbital space, which should be used in a sustainable way."
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-78344-9
#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceEnvironmentalism #SpaceSustainability #SpacePolicy
We are proud to announce the launch of the Center for Space Environmentalism!
CSE is a group of scholars and experts who inform and advocate for issues pertaining to the protection of the increasingly crowded #space environment. It is intended in part to counter the prevailing narrative about the 'inevitable' commercial development and exploitation of outer space. We welcome dialog and interaction with anyone interested in these topics.
🚀 The Center for Space Environmentalism (CSE) has launched!
🪐 CSE is a group of scholars and experts who inform and advocate for issues pertaining to the protection of the increasingly crowded space environment. It is intended in part to counter the prevailing narrative about the 'inevitable' commercial development and exploitation of outer space. We welcome dialog and interaction with anyone interested in these topics.
💪🏼 I am proud to participate in this effort with my colleagues @salvabara, @planet4589, @sundogplanets and others.
🐘 Follow us on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@space_environmentalism
🌎 And visit our website: https://www.spaceenvironmentalism.org/
#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceEnvironmentalism #SpacePolicy #Satellites #SpaceDebris
Bad news for the impact of increasing rocket launches on the terrestrial #environment: "Our ‘ambitious’ scenario (2,040 launches/year) leads to a -0.29% depletion in annual-mean, near-global total column #ozone, relative to a simulation with no rocket launches. Antarctic springtime ozone decreases by 3.9%. Our ‘conservative’ scenario (884 launches/year) leads to a -0.17% annual depletion; current licensing rates suggest this scenario may be exceeded sooner than 2030."
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5837547/v1
#SpaceEnvironment #SpaceEnvironmentalism #Space #SpaceSustainability
Near-future rocket launches could slow ozone recovery
Rocket emissions damage the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects life from harmful solar radiation. To understand if significant ozone losses could occur as the launch industry grows, we examine two scenarios of industry aspirations. Our ‘ambitious’ scenario (2,040 launches/year) leads to a ...