US EditionSatellites May Blind Space Telescopes By 2035, Scientists Say
Satellite megaconstellations could contaminate up to 96% of images from key space telescopes, risking critical scientific data and asteroid detection, NASA researchers warn.
- On Wednesday, a NASA-led study warned the rapid increase of satellites in low Earth orbit could taint images taken by space telescopes, the authors said.
- Lower launch costs and reusable rockets have produced a boom, raising satellites from roughly 2,000 in 2019 to roughly 15,000 today, with filings showing plans for 560,000 by the 2030s.
- Simulations show about 39.6% and 96% contamination rates for key telescopes, with satellites-per-exposure estimates of 2.14 for Hubble Space Telescope, 5.64 for SPHEREx, 69 for ARRAKIHS, and 92 for Xuntian.
- To protect scientific observations, the authors warn satellite streaks can mimic asteroid trails and block detection of potentially hazardous asteroids, recommending launching fewer satellites to prevent lost scientific information.
- Far-From-LEO observatories remain unaffected, and researchers suggest space agencies, satellite operators and astronomers coordinate globally while companies share satellite telemetry, orientation and colour.
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68 Articles
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Experts sound alarm after declaring Elon Musk's satellites major threat to crucial space mission: 'I couldn't be more concerned'
A pending orbital traffic jam has expert stargazers worried that their otherworldly views — including of potential inbound asteroids — will soon be obscured by passing Starlink satellites. What's happening? El Pais reported that Elon Musk's Starlink and other megaconstellation developers plan to send a half million satellites into orbit. The vanguard of the effort has already been visible when strings of craft dot a line in the sky as they posi…
Thousands of commercial satellites disrupt the vast majority of images captured by telescopes, both terrestrial and space-based.
Elon Musk has deployed a huge constellation of satellites with Starlink. Researchers have warned on numerous occasions that the low orbit is being filled with space debris, the situation begins to be limitless.The mega-constellations of satellites such as SpaceX's Starlink are affecting the visibility of space telescopes sharing space in low orbit.If private companies do not slow this trend, the consequences could be enormous by the end of the d…
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