The effects that huge constellations from satellites can have on astronomy are becoming increasingly apparent, and astronomers are grappling with what this industrialization of space could mean for the future of their field.
The big picture: Companies such as SpaceX and Amazon have plans to put thousands of Internet beam satellites into orbit in the coming years.
Where it is: Satellites can disrupt images taken with powerful Earth-based telescopes. In particular, these spacecraft can hinder scientists’ ability to find dangerous asteroids and distant objects of interest.
- Scientists are now suggesting that these satellites should be in relatively low orbits because they would be out of the field of view of large telescopes for most of the night.
- Concerns from the scientific community are not only focused on the ejection of satellites in the field of view of telescopes. Radio astronomers can also experience interference from these satellites while transmitting at night.
The intrigue: Since 2018, SpaceX has launched more than 900 Starlink satellites as part of its constellation, and other companies are trying to catch up. That fast pace has not allowed astronomers much time to meet their needs.
- “We need more ground rules up there, in a fairly ‘Wild West’ environment, as more and more people join in,” Jeff Hall of the Lowell Observatory said at a panel at the American Astronomical Society meeting last week.
What to watch: Astronomers are working with space companies to ensure that any interference from their satellites is kept to a minimum.
- The National Science Foundation and the American Astronomical Society have released a joint report discussing the impact of these satellites on astronomy, and the International Astronomical Union also has a report on the topic.
- SpaceX is working to reduce the visibility of their Starlink satellites in several ways, including coating some with a material to reduce reflectivity.
- A December study showed that these “DarkSats” are about half as reflective as previous Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX. The company is also experimenting with other methods that can further reduce their reflectivity.