Tag

Megaconstellations

All articles tagged with #megaconstellations

science-tech8 days ago•12 min saved

Megaconstellations Threaten the Night Sky and Cultural Heritage

SpaceX filed for a megaconstellation of up to a million satellites to power space-based data centers, joining a boom of proposals that could raise the number of active satellites from about 14,000 today to millions. The article warns this will permanently alter the night sky, disrupt astronomy and Indigenous cultural practices, and raise environmental and regulatory gaps, noting the lack of unified space traffic management. It advocates a Dark Skies Impact Assessment to document cumulative effects, explore mitigation, and inform licensing—aiming to improve decision-making rather than veto space development.

via The Conversation|

#astronomy #cultural-impact #megaconstellations

business25 days ago•17 min saved

SpaceX plots solar-powered orbital data-center megaconstellation

SpaceX has asked the FCC to authorize a constellation of up to one million satellites in low Earth orbit that would act as an orbital data center, using near-constant solar power and intersatellite optical links (with Ka-band as a backup) to deliver AI compute from space. The satellites would operate at 500–2,000 km with 30-degree and sun-synchronous inclinations to maximize sun exposure; SpaceX says the system could reduce terrestrial data-center costs and environmental impact while enabling rapid AI processing, though the filing provides few technical details and seeks waivers from usual deployment milestones with no schedule or price disclosed. The plan aligns with SpaceX’s AI ambitions and broader corporate moves, including IPO considerations and potential ties to xAI.

via SpaceNews|

#ai-compute #business #megaconstellations

space1 month ago•4 min saved

Solar Storms Could Collapse LEO Satellite Web in Days

New analysis warns that solar storms could trigger a rapid, near-term collapse of Earth’s LEO satellite mega-constellations if command-and-control for avoidance is lost. The study introduces the CRASH Clock, estimating a catastrophic collision could occur in about 2.8 days as of mid-2025 (versus 121 days in 2018), and a 24-hour outage carries roughly a 30% chance of seeding long-term debris cascades. Solar storms heat the atmosphere, increasing drag and degrading orbit predictions while possibly disabling satellite navigation and communications, leaving many satellites unable to dodge each other. Authored by Sarah Thiele and colleagues and posted on arXiv, the work argues for real-time tracking and control to prevent a “house of cards” collapse of space infrastructure, a risk underscored by the 2024 Gannon storm and the historic Carrington Event.

via SciTechDaily|

#kessler-syndrome #megaconstellations #orbital-debris

science-and-technology4 months ago•2 min saved

Global Efforts to Mitigate Space Junk Risks and Improve Orbital Traffic Management

China has been abandoning a significant number of rocket stages in orbit, especially with the deployment of new megaconstellations like Guowang and Thousand Sails, which could leave over 100 rocket bodies in orbit for more than 25 years, increasing space debris and potential hazards. Despite having the capability to deorbit these stages, China often does not, contributing to the growing problem of space junk, which has accelerated in recent years.

via Ars Technica|

#china #megaconstellations #orbit-debris

science8 months ago•7 min saved

Vera Rubin Observatory Set to Revolutionize Astronomy with First Images and Global Watch Parties

The Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile, set to revolutionize sky surveys with its large camera and wide field of view, faces significant challenges from the increasing number of bright satellites from mega-constellations like Starlink, which threaten to obscure and contaminate astronomical images. Despite developing techniques to mitigate satellite streaks, the growing satellite population could still impact the observatory's scientific output, prompting calls for darker satellites and innovative solutions to preserve the integrity of ground-based astronomy.

via Space|

#astronomy-technology #megaconstellations #satellite-interference

astronomy-and-space1 year ago•9 min saved

"Harmonizing with Megaconstellations: Astronomers Adapt to Coexist"

Astronomers and satellite megaconstellations are learning to coexist as companies like SpaceX and Amazon work with the astronomy community to mitigate the impact of megaconstellations on optical and radio astronomy. Efforts include design changes to reduce satellite brightness and voluntary cooperation with industry, but lack of regulations remains a concern. While progress has been made, the issue of satellite interference with astronomy is still in its early stages, with astronomers and spacecraft engineers striving for coexistence while addressing the challenges posed by megaconstellations.

via SpaceNews|

#astronomers #astronomy-and-space #megaconstellations

space-and-environment1 year ago•4 min saved

"Burning Satellites' Debris Impacting Earth's Magnetic Field"

The increasing number of satellites burning up in Earth's atmosphere is creating a shell of conductive dust around the planet, potentially affecting Earth's protective magnetic field. This conductive dust, mainly made of superconductive metals from re-entering satellites, could perturb the magnetosphere and potentially weaken Earth's protective shield, allowing harmful cosmic radiation to reach the planet's surface. Additionally, the aluminum from burning satellites could deplete the ozone layer. Scientists are concerned about the long-term environmental impacts of this space debris pollution, as the consequences may only become apparent decades from now.

via Yahoo! Voices|

#earths-magnetic-field #environmental-impact #megaconstellations

militaryspace2 years ago•3 min saved

"US Military Embraces Megaconstellations for Enhanced Space Cooperation and Protection"

The leader of the United States Space Command, General James H. Dickinson, highlighted the importance of megaconstellations like SpaceX's Starlink network in providing resiliency and redundancy in satellite communications during Ukraine's efforts to deter a potential invasion by Russia. Megaconstellations make it difficult for adversaries to take countermeasures and frustrate them by creating uncertainty about the number of satellites that would need to be targeted. Dickinson also emphasized the growing reliance on commercial space companies for various functions, but acknowledged the need to strike a balance between military and commercial services in the space domain.

via Ars Technica|

#megaconstellations #militaryspace #russia

space-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Starlink Satellites: Dodging Objects, Leaking Radiation, and Disturbing Astronomy"

SpaceX's Starlink satellites have performed over 25,000 avoidance maneuvers in a six-month period, double the previous reporting period, as low Earth orbit becomes more crowded. The company uses a stringent threshold for maneuvering, moving satellites when the probability of collision exceeds 1 in 100,000. Over 1,300 maneuvers were made to avoid debris from Russia's anti-satellite weapon test. Additionally, a study found that Starlink satellites emit unintended electromagnetic radiation that could impact astronomical research, with simulations showing a compounding effect from larger constellations. The International Astronomical Union has been vocal about the potential impacts of satellite constellations on astronomy, and SpaceX has introduced changes to mitigate the emissions in the next generation of Starlink satellites.

via TechCrunch|

#astronomical-research #electromagnetic-radiation #megaconstellations

spaceflight2 years ago•8 min saved

Protecting Astronomy from Satellite Megaconstellations.

The increasing number of Earth-orbiting megaconstellations, such as Starlink and OneWeb, is causing concern among astronomers who fear that the light from an estimated 400,000 satellites planned for low Earth orbit in the coming years will interfere with their observations. The International Astronomical Union's Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference is working to find a common understanding between the need for global internet coverage and the protection of astronomy. The most rapid progress in mitigating the impacts of megaconstellations on astronomy comes from cooperative efforts by industry, some of which are now made a condition of operational licensing by the Federal Communications Commission.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #dark-skies #megaconstellations

astronomy2 years ago•6 min saved

Megaconstellations' Impact on Astronomy Raises Concerns.

Satellite megaconstellations, such as SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper, are causing concern for astronomers as they obstruct ground-based and space-based telescopes. While mitigation techniques have been developed to reduce the brightness of the satellites, they do little to lessen the impact on telescopes in low Earth orbit (LEO). Wide field-of-view telescopes, such as China's upcoming Xuntian telescope, will be more severely affected. As megaconstellations continue to grow, astronomers will need to adjust how they study the cosmos, potentially launching telescopes into higher orbits to limit the effects of satellite transits.

via NASASpaceflight.com|

#astronomy #astrophysics #low-earth-orbit

science-and-astronomy2 years ago•4 min saved

The Battle to Protect Dark Skies from Satellites

Astronomers are being urged to "fight tooth and nail" to protect the night sky against rising light pollution caused by artificial urban lighting on Earth and satellites congesting low Earth orbit. A new paper argues that current efforts by astronomers are mitigating the problem of light pollution in astronomy but will not solve it unless strict and immediate regulations are enforced. The authors propose tightening the criteria to authorize massive satellite constellations and enforcing an upper limit for the number of orbiting satellites and the amount of artificial light produced.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #light-pollution #megaconstellations

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

Ban Proposed for Light-Polluting Satellite Constellations like Starlink.

Astronomers have called for a ban on megaconstellations of low-altitude satellites, including Elon Musk's Starlink, to reduce light pollution and preserve the ability to study the skies. In a series of papers published in the journal Nature Astronomy, scientists have raised concerns about the brightening night sky and called for regulation. The illumination of artificial satellites and associated space junk by the sun has increased night sky brightness, making it harder to detect faint astrophysical signals and impacting biological systems. The scientists suggest that the stakes are too high for inaction and that a cap limit on the total number of satellites in low orbits should be introduced.

via The Guardian|

#astronomy #light-pollution #megaconstellations