Bizarre lights passing in the night sky are not as weird as they seem: they are the Starlink satellites of SpaceX.
It provides internet connection to residents in the United States and Canada.
Elon Musk's SpaceX company launched 60 Starlink satellites from the Space Launch Complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida last May 27, according to the Independent news website.
Stephane Israel, head of the European space company Arianespace, has warned that SpaceX presents a threat in the "de-facto monopolization" of space.
Is SpaceX Monopolizing Space?
SpaceX has asked the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch up to 42,000 satellites for the development of its Starlink system, putting pressure on its competitors. As of now, SpaceX has about 1,600 Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth.
In a United Nations conference in Geneva, Israel said that space should remain accessible for human activities and warns that Musk's SpaceX is heading towards monopolizing space.
"We want space to remain accessible for human activities but we refuse a Wild West space. It really is our responsibility to ensure that low orbit (less than 1,000 kilometers or 625 miles) above the Earth is sustainable long-term," Israel said according to Republic Worl.com
He noted that out of the 9,000 satellites in low Earth orbit since 1957, 1,667 are from SpaceX's Starlink system. He added that 35 percent of all satellites in operation are owned by Musk; these satellites have had several collisions in space in recent years, he added.
Israel warned that humankind might see itself in a catastrophic scenario. There is a risk of de-facto monopolization for Starlink as one of the first space companies to set up such a satellite network, he said.
Space Plays A Vital Role in Development
Last April, the FCC ruled that the deployment of a low altitude satellite (below 540 km to 570 km from ground) will improve the internet experience of SpaceX customers, including those in the polar regions who usually have a hard time accessing the internet.
The FCC said that it woud require the easy and fast removal of non-working satellites to reduce space debris.
According to Phys.org, FCC's approval for SpaceX to send 42,000 Starlink satellites puts pressure on the commercial interests of Arianespace.
Read also: Elon Musk: SpaceX Starlink License Mod Gets FCC Approval as Falcon 9 Rockets Pushes Itself to Limits
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