National security interests in relation to dark and quiet skies

Abstract The U.S. military has recently begun deploying large constellations of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) for communications and missile warning. This paper describes what such systems may entail, and discusses the impacts that they may have on astronomical and environmental interests. While the deployment of such constellations is being motivated by national security interests, the growth of the satellite population in LEO can also pose threats to national security. This includes not only concerns related to orbital congestion and orbital debris, but also issues that are closely related to the preservation of dark and quiet skies. This paper will highlight the overlapping threats posed by the growth of satellite constellations to both astronomical and national security interests, and describe a potential path forward for dark and quiet skies advocacy that leverages and collaborates with national security interests to establish norms against light and spectrum pollution.