Expansive satellite constellations deploying for global broadband could transform astronomical observations of the night sky, warns a new report. Key recommendations aim to mitigate their impact.
Traditional internet relies on underground cables and cell towers, leaving remote areas underserved. Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks promise universal coverage by linking thousands of satellites in constellation.
SpaceX leads with Starlink: over 600 satellites launched of 12,000 planned. The next Falcon 9 mission, set for Sunday, August 30, will deploy 60 more. Amazon's Kuiper project targets 3,200 satellites, while OneWeb has launched 74 of 650—though recently bankrupt, it's poised for acquisition by a UK government-led consortium with Bharti Global.
These plans dwarf current figures: about 2,500 active satellites orbit Earth today, with fewer than 10,000 launched since 1957. Such density risks interfering with night-sky observations.
Astronomers worldwide have raised alarms. Long-exposure imaging of faint celestial objects is vulnerable; satellite streaks could ruin data, especially for wide-field visible and infrared telescopes.
A report from the American Astronomical Society (AAS), North America's premier professional astronomy body, highlights satellites above 1,200 km as most disruptive: "visible all night in summer and significant fractions of the night in winter, fall, and spring," impacting nearly all programs. OneWeb's orbit fits this profile.
Lower-orbit satellites around 600 km, like SpaceX's, pose lesser threats.
Impacts are inevitable, but mitigation is feasible. The AAS report outlines practical steps:
– Reduce satellite brightness via orientation control or darkening coatings (SpaceX is implementing this).
– Support image-processing software to subtract satellite trails.
– Share real-time orbital data so telescopes avoid affected zones.
Ultimately, launching fewer satellites offers "zero impact," though economic realities make this unlikely for giants like SpaceX and Amazon. Operators and astronomers must partner to balance connectivity gains with scientific preservation.
