The effects that the huge constellations of satellites could have on astronomy are beginning to focus, and astronomers are facing what this industrialization of space could mean for the future of their field.
The whole picture: Companies such as SpaceX and Amazon plan to launch thousands of satellite satellites into orbit in the coming years.
Where is it: Satellites can disrupt images taken by powerful telescopes on Earth. In particular, these spacecraft can prevent scientists from finding dangerous asteroids and distant objects of interest.
- Scientists now suggest that these satellites should be in relatively small orbits, as this would keep them away from the field of view for large telescopes for much of the night.
- The concerns of the scientific community are not only focused on the brightness of satellites in the telescope’s fields of view. Radio astronomers may also experience interference from these satellites as they transmit overnight.
Intrigue: Since 2018, SpaceX has launched more than 900 Starlink satellites as part of its constellation, and other companies are struggling to catch up. This rapid pace did not allow astronomers to advocate for long.
- “We need more ground rules there, in a pretty ‘wild’ environment, as more and more people come into play,” Jeff Hall of the Lowell Observatory said during a panel at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society last week.
What to look for: Astronomers work with space companies to ensure that any interference from their satellites is minimized.
- The National Science Foundation and the American Astronomical Society have published a joint report discussing the impact these satellites have on astronomy, and the International Astronomical Union also has a report on the subject.
- SpaceX works to reduce the visibility of Starlink satellites in a variety of ways, including covering some of them 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 experimenting with other methods that could further reduce their reflectivity.