Satellites

(asked on 28th August 2026) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental and astronomical effects of orbital reflector satellites.


Answered by
Chris McDonald Portrait
Chris McDonald
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 4th September 2026

The UK, to date, has commissioned three studies related to the impacts of satellite brightness and potential mitigations. The findings from these studies, alongside discussions in international forums such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), help inform policy discussions on how to successfully address the balance between accessing vital services in space and minimising the impact on scientific research and the environment.

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