Space Environmentalism
Andromeda Galaxy and Satellite Streaks, taken by Kees Scherer from the Leader-Telegram Astronomy Update from the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society.
Space is no longer beyond our grasp- and we must be careful how we hold it.
I have dedicated my career to a life in space environmentalism, or stewardship for nature as it extends into our Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), the nearby solar system, and beyond. I served as a 2023 IEEE Science and Technology Fellow in the office of Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) for this reason!
The sky is our shared cultural heritage. And it's easy to be excited about your own relationship to space! I mean, look at those stars! Yet, as a society, we are still grappling with how to interact with Nature in this capacity.
Below are a few articles I've written you can explore!
The Impact of Satellites on Astronomy:
Reaching for the Stars: Are Adjustments to Satellite Brightness Enough?
- The Trail with No End: Satellite Streaks in Stellar Spectra
How Satellites Affect Every Wavelength of Astronomy [Twitter Thread]
How Scientists Would Prove Extraterrestrial Life [Twitter Thread]
- Moving Telescopes to Orbit Does Not Outrun Satellite Constellations
Space Environmentalism:
- Dust to Dust: The End of Astronomy
- “Space is Not Yet Declared an Environment”
- How To Take Down A Satellite
Urban Voices and The Skies:
- Is Seeing the Stars a Financial Luxury?
- Join DarkSkyChi in Voicing Concern Regarding the Commercialization of Space
Light Pollution and Society:
Space and Environmental Policy
Industry, science, environmentalism, and policy are coming together like never before as human activity occupies more of the solar system. It's my supreme honor to work on some space legislation in this realm. Here are some of the cool things I'm thinking about every day:
Dark and Quiet Skies at the UN -- now an agenda item from 2025--2030! Conference Room Paper
The Dark and Quiet Skies Act -- bipartisan introduction in the Senate in the 118th Congress!!
Space and Science Subcommittee Hearing: Safety and Innovation in the New Space Economy (located here)
The ORBITS Act to clean up space debris (passed unanimously in the Senate in the 118th Congress! 😁 CNN )
The FAA's considerations for Human Spaceflight (in a Senate hearing)
How Tourism can be sustainable and outdoorsy (in a Senate hearing)