Highlight Lecture / Sustainability and Safety of Large Satellite Constellations from ... - IAC 26

SpaceX’s Starlink constellation has evolved into a global broadband network serving over 13 million customers, fundamentally shifting how humanity accesses connectivity. Maintaining this scale requires rigorous space safety standards, including automated collision avoidance maneuvers and the proactive deorbiting of satellites to minimize debris. Because low-Earth orbit is increasingly crowded, transparent data sharing between operators is essential; SpaceX advocates for universal ephemeris exchange to prevent conjunctions and improve situational awareness. Beyond current operations, the company is developing "StarMind," an AI-driven satellite constellation designed to move high-capacity compute infrastructure from Earth to orbit, utilizing solar power and radiative cooling. These efforts, alongside plans for an interplanetary mesh connecting the Moon and Mars, rely on the continued refinement of orbital safety protocols and collaborative industry coordination to ensure long-term, sustainable access to space.