‘Starwashing’: The new space race has an environmental problem

Grist reports on a new term for the space industry's environmental spin: 'starwashing.' As private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin expand into orbit, they promise space-based solutions to Earth's problems, from data centers above the planet to mirrors that beam sunlight to solar farms. But researchers say this optimism downplays real environmental costs, including rocket pollution, light pollution, and the growing problem of space junk. The term, popularized by space researcher Melissa Yingling, echoes 'greenwashing' — a way to distract from the climate crisis, according to experts.

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