External workshop on the environmental footprint of satellite constellations

On Thursday, 25 September 2025, from 10:00 to 16:00 CEST, BEREC will organise a hybrid external workshop on the environmental footprint of satellite constellations at the IRG Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, and online.

Background

As part of the BEREC Work Programme 2025, the external workshop is organised to get an understanding of the environmental footprint of satellite constellations, complementing BEREC’s previous work on LEO satellites. The workshop will bring together key stakeholders, including regulators, industry representatives, academia, environmental experts, and international bodies, to explore the ecological aspects of these satellite systems. Special attention will be given to the work conducted by the International Telecommunication Union and the upcoming European Space Law.

Aim

The debate will summarise the existing studies on lifecycle environmental impact assessment of satellite constellations and related challenges such as the impact of limited data availability, environmental damage mechanisms, etc. It will also address the challenges related to space debris, luminous pollution – in particular with regard to astronomical observations, weather forecast and disruptions to natural nocturnal ecosystems – and planetary boundaries, including Earth and Outer Space/orbit resources, as well as the environmental impact of the construction and maintenance of ground infrastructure (e.g. satellite dish installations and data centres). Last but not least, advancements in sustainable satellite design will be presented.

Preliminary set-up of the workshop

The workshop is divided into four parts:

More information about the speakers can be found in the agenda.

A recorded video of the external workshop will be published after the event on the Multimedia page.

Registration

Register your interest to join this external workshop in person or virtually by filling out the registration form below. Please note that due to the limited seat capacity at the IRG Secretariat, the registration for in-person participation is closing once the limit of 42 registrations is reached. Following that, registrations are possible only for online participation.

The registration deadline for physical participation is 20 September 2025. For virtual participation, there is no registration deadline.

The connection details will be shared with registered participants ahead of the external workshop.

BEREC’s work on sustainability

The BEREC Sustainability Working Group aims to enhance awareness and develop expertise on various aspects of sustainability in the digital economy, including electronic communications networks and services. The activities and topics addressed are interlinked with the work of the other Working Groups of BEREC.