Let’s save our starry sky, in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique)

COMMUNIQUAND OF PRESSE

Let’s save our starry sky

With their three calls in 2019, 2020, 2024, astronomers continue to raise a cry of alarm to the international community.

Currently, more than 7,500 satellites are in Earth’s orbit (source: CNRS for 2023) of which 6,557 satellites belong to the Starlink constellation of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Already impressive, these figures pale in comparison to projections which estimate that an additional 58,000 will be launched in 2030.

This massive and rapid expansion which aims to create mega-constellations to broadcast high-speed internet from space across the entire planet is of great concern to astronomers who denounce the harmful effects of satellites on the observation of the sky. Added to this is a potentially formidable environmental threat to which a group of more than 100 world-renowned astronomers warn because the disintegration of satellites at the end of their life generates atmospheric pollution: “ What we do know is that more satellites and launches bring more harmful gases and metals into our atmosphere ».

When they reach the end of their life, the operators of mega-constellations eliminate their satellites by deorbiting them so that they disintegrate in the Earth’s atmosphere. The problem is that they release various substances (nitrogen oxides, aluminum oxide in particular) which attack the ozone layer, indirectly contributing to global warming.

A year ago, a study conducted by a team of researchers from Purdue University in the United States attested to a change in the chemical balance of our atmosphere under the effect of increasingly frequent launches and returns. spacecraft and satellites: “ The fact that launching 30,000 to 500,000 satellites into low orbit does not even justify an environmental study is contrary to common sense », protest the signatories and warn in their conclusion: “ We have a short period of time to avoid spoiling the space and atmosphere, rather than spending decades cleaning it up. »

For their part, meteorologists are also warning us of the risk of no longer being able to make reliable observations due to the proliferation of mega-constellations and their jamming radio frequencies and have been warning for months about the harmful effects that 5G networks could have on the quality of their forecasts: “ If it becomes impossible to carry out these measurements in good conditions, then you could not evacuate people who should be evacuated and, on the contrary, evacuate some who do not need it. », opinion expressed by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Administration (NOAA).

Finally, how can we not see that this unleashing of satellite transmissions is taking place against a backdrop of a military-industrial complex of rival world imperialist powers preparing a 3^e world war. And from the sky.

Faced with this senseless hubris above our heads, and its disastrous consequences on the living, we, citizens of the world, pacifists and having kept our reason, we cannot remain indifferent and call for an awakening of consciences before it or too late.

The Résistance 5G Nantes association, the Nantes Citizen Vigilance Collective (CNVC) and Citizens of Nantes for a critical social-ecology (CNPSE) will participate in the World Days of Action against celestial electromagnetic fields and the damage from satellite mega-constellations scheduled for December 21 and 22.

A group photo will be taken on Friday 20 at 6:30 p.m. in front of the statue of Jules Verne. From the Earth to the Moon » rue de l’Héronnière with distribution of leaflets and speaking engagements. The photo will be broadcast internationally.

The collectives HAPPEN, STOP LINKY 5G in the Pays de Condé, CALGEA 62 Avion, Leforest environment & Pslmo Lestrem will demonstrate in front of Lens town hall on Saturday 21 at 2:30 p.m.

Contacts : [email protected] [email protected]