Environmental groups filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 10, 2026, urging the agency to conduct a programmatic environmental impact review before approving orbital datacenter satellite constellations that could total more than a million satellites in low Earth orbit. The petition, submitted by Earthjustice on behalf of DarkSky International, Environment America, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, requests that the FCC prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act before processing any of the pending applications. It calls for a pause on licensing while the agency assesses cumulative effects from proposals by SpaceX, Starcloud, Blue Origin, Cowboy Space and similar entities.

The groups argue that the FCC's current licensing framework, designed for smaller satellite constellations, is inadequate for projects that could increase the number of satellites in low Earth orbit by multiple orders of magnitude. They say a single, comprehensive review would allow the agency to examine risks such as rocket launch emissions, pollutants released during atmospheric reentry, potential ozone layer depletion, orbital debris, light pollution, impacts on wildlife, and interference with astronomical observations. The petition notes that evaluating each application individually would fail to capture synergistic and cumulative impacts.

Proponents of the orbital datacenter plans have emphasized benefits such as global broadband and low‑latency computing, but have offered limited information on environmental consequences. The petition contends that the combined effects of multiple large constellations cannot be understood by assessing each proposal separately. The FCC is currently reconsidering its environmental review rules for satellites, acknowledging that rapid growth in the space industry has raised questions about the suitability of existing categorical exclusions from detailed review.

If the FCC grants the petition’s request, orbital datacenter operators would need to complete extensive environmental documentation before deployment. The agency has not yet responded to the petition.