As satellites fill Earth’s orbit, the space race risks becoming an environmental crisis

In this week’s newsletter: From pollution in the upper atmosphere to mounting debris, experts warn the rapid expansion in space could threaten our planet• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereOur relationship with space is changing rapidly.For almost all of human history, the space above us was an unreachable frontier. Yet in a single human lifetime, Earth’s orbit has gone from largely empty to congested with satellites.Rubbish and recycling in England: what’s changingDrive slower, work from home: the world responds to Iran war energy crisisExclusive: UK looks to relax planning rules for factory farms after lobbyingLunar prospectors: the businesses looking to mine the moon‘This feels fragile’: how a satellite-smashing chain reaction could spiral out of control‘This was the real thing’: Meet the woman who alerts the world when an asteroid could hit Continue reading...