A New Horizon: Large Satellite Constellations and the Sustainable Use of Space

Tens of thousands of satellites are transforming our relationship with near-Earth space, promising to fundamentally reshape global communications and Earth observation. Yet this rapid expansion of large satellite constellations in low and medium Earth orbits poses unprecedented challenges for science and the sustainable use of space: optical and radio astronomy face serious disruption, collision risks threaten to render key orbital regions unusable through cascading debris, and the environmental impact on the atmosphere remains poorly understood.

Building on the Science7 consultations by the G7 National Academies of Sciences under France’s G7 Presidency 2026, leading experts from France, Germany and beyond will address scientific opportunities and challenges of the NewSpace era as well as the urgent need for international governance of the Earth’s orbit to balance innovation with sustainability.