The Starlink Problem ...

[Rick]

A.I. algorithms can help erase bright streaks of internet satellites – but they cannot save astronomy

When SpaceX began sending its Starlink birds up in 2018, the astronomy community realized the flying blocks of metal brightened up the night sky and threatened to drown out the glow of distant stars and galaxies. Constellations of Starlink satellites whizzing in front of telescopes left dazzling streaks in their wake, making it difficult for astronomers to observe the cosmos.

The problem is only getting worse. SpaceX now has 1,600-plus internet-relaying satellites in the sky, while similar programs from the likes of Amazon, OneWeb, and Boeing are emerging.

SpaceX has plans to launch 42,000 satellites; Amazon has asked for permission to lob 7,774.

"We are absolutely losing some science," Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, tells The Register. "How much science we lose depends on how many satellites there end up being. You occasionally lose data. At the moment it's one in every ten images."

More: https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/06/ai_algorithms_satellites/

[Rick]

Elon Musk rejects mounting criticism his satellites are clogging space

Elon Musk has rejected criticisms that his company is taking up too much room in space, saying his tens of thousands of planned satellites would be able to coexist with many others.

As well as building up Tesla into the world's most valuable carmaker by pioneering electric cars, Musk has shaken up the space industry by founding SpaceX, a private rocket company that is also seeking to become a major telecommunications entity through a network of tens of thousands of low-orbiting "Starlink" satellites.

SpaceX has already launched more than 1,600 satellites, including a recent launch on 18 December which added a further 52, making it the focus of calls for regulation of space.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/dec/30/elon-musk-rejects-mounting-criticism-his-satellites-are-clogging-space

[AndrewRamsay]

Musk might be shrugging off complaints by the astronomical community, but might think twice about taking on China?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/dec/28/china-complains-to-un-after-space-station-is-forced-to-move-to-avoid-starlink-satellites

[Rick]

Geomagnetic storm takes out 40 of 49 brand new Starlink satellites

SpaceX last week launched 49 shiny new Starlink broadband-beaming satellites, which is good. But 40 of them have already, or will shortly, meet their demise due to a geomagnetic storm that struck a few days after their ascent. Which is bad.

All 49 satellites reached their planned 210km perigee deployment orbit, though the storm increased drag to levels up to 50 per cent higher than experienced on previous launches, according to a SpaceX update.

The Starlink team attempted to minimize the drag by putting the sats into safe mode, which would position them to fly edge-on. That plan didn't work because drag caused by the storm still buffeted the devices and meant they could not leave safe mode to raise their orbits. Gravity did its inexorable thing, causing the craft to meet an inglorious end in Earth's atmosphere.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/09/starlink_satellites_burned_by_geomagnetic_storm/

[ApophisAstros]

 

Roger

[Rick]

Orbital space around Earth must be protected amid rise in satellites, say scientists

The orbital space around Earth must urgently be protected by environmental rules and regulations akin to those that safeguard the planet's land, seas and air, leading scientists say.

An international team of researchers warn that a dramatic rise in the number of satellites is polluting the night sky for astronomers and stargazers, while increasing the risk of objects colliding in space and potentially even striking people or aircraft when they fall back to Earth.

Much of the concern is driven by the surge in mega-constellations, which involve placing tens of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet and other services.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/apr/22/orbital-space-earth-protected-scientists-satellites

[Rick]

Beijing needs the ability to 'destroy' Starlink, say Chinese researchers

According to the South China Morning Post, lead author Ren Yuanzhen and colleagues advocated in Modern Defence Technology not only for China to develop anti-satellite capabilities, but also to have a surveillance system that could monitor and track all satellites in Starlink's constellation.

"A combination of soft and hard kill methods should be adopted to make some Starlink satellites lose their functions and destroy the constellation's operating system," the Chinese boffins reportedly said, estimating that data transmission speeds of stealth fighter jets and US military drones could increase by a factor of 100 through a Musk machine connection.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/25/beijing_starlink_takedown/

[Rick]

Starlink's success in Ukraine amplifies interest in anti-satellite weapons

In a report published earlier this week, the Secure World Foundation, a space-oriented NGO, warned that in the past few years there's been a surge of interest in offensive counterspace weapons that can disrupt space-based services.

"The existence of counterspace capabilities is not new, but the circumstances surrounding them are," the report [PDF] says. "Today there are increased incentives for development, and potential use, of offensive counterspace capabilities."

"There are also greater potential consequences from their widespread use that could have global repercussions well beyond the military, as huge parts of the global economy and society are increasingly reliant on space applications."

One of the potential consequences is the proliferation of debris from disabled or destroyed satellites, which imperils other objects and people operating in space.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/02/anti_satellite_weapons/

[Rick]

Russia says Starlink satellites could become military targets

Russia has warned the United Nations that commercial space systems – like Starlink – risk becoming legitimate military targets if they continue to be used in places like Ukraine.

Speaking at a meeting of the UN's committee on disarmament and international security, Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy head of Russia's delegation, accused the US of "provocative use of civilian satellites" and warned that an arms race in space was heating up, but added "the point of no return has not been passed."

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/28/russia_raises_possibility_commercial_sats_strike/

[Rick]

ISS dodges space junk from satellite Russia blew up

NASA says the International Space Station (ISS) this week transitioned to a higher orbit to dodge debris from a Russian satellite. The agency spotted the junk and calculated it would fly within three miles of the ISS, a proximity that was too close for comfort.

The space station's ground team fired up the thrusters on Progress 81, the Russian cargo craft docked to the station, for five minutes and five seconds in a Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) and increased the station's altitude by 0.2 miles at apogee and 0.8 miles at perigee.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/27/iss_dodges_space_junk/

[Rick]

Picture imperfect: light pollution from satellites is becoming an existential threat to astronomy

There's a point at which light pollution starts to make astronomical observations impossible – a point we are fast approaching, thanks in part to Elon Musk.

More than 3,000 of the 5,000 active satellites orbiting Earth belong to Musk's SpaceX, including its Starlink fleet. Another 12,000 Starlink launches have been approved, and SpaceX wants a further 30,000 second-generation satellites on top of that, covering the entire globe.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jan/06/picture-imperfect-light-pollution-from-satellites-is-becoming-an-existential-threat-to-astronomy

[Carole]

  

[Rick]

Software picks out more satellite photobombs in Hubble image

Researchers have developed software they estimate will be at least 10 times more effective than existing algorithms at detecting the pesky satellite trails increasingly popping up on Hubble Space Telescope images.

The team at Baltimore's Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) also claim their software identifies roughly twice as many trails as other studies.

"We have a toolbox of things that people use to clean Hubble data and calibrate it. And our new application is another tool that will help us make the best out of every Hubble exposure," said Dave Stark, STScI staff scientist.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/13/software_picks_out_more_satellite/

[Rick]

Starlink satellites leak astronomy-disturbing EM radiation, say boffins

Nevermind the light pollution – the ever-growing swarm of Starlink satellites orbiting Earth are creating a fresh unknown problem for astronomers: They're leaking electromagnetic radiation.

Germany's Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy made the determination after observing 68 of SpaceX's 4,000-plus Starlink satellites using the Netherlands-based Low Frequency Array (Lofar). From those satellites, Planck boffins said, "unintended electromagnetic radiation" was detected emanating from what researchers believe to be the onboard electronics.

"The unintended radiation could impact astronomical research," the institute said.

According to the institute, 47 of the 68 satellites observed as they passed through Lofar's field of view were emitting "previously unknown spurious radiation in the frequency range between 110 and 188 megahertz," a portion of which overlaps with protected radio frequencies for astronomical observations.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/10/starlink_satellites_leaking_astronomydisturbing_em/

[Carole]