Elon Musk's Starlink satellite constellations promise good benefits to the great public. Still, scientists, astronomers, and experts debate this and present the threat it brings that can hinder astronomical and cosmic discoveries. Astronomers and the AAS even ask for the satellites to be redesigned to blend well in the space environment.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) condemns the low-Earth orbit internet satellites with the likes of Elon Musk's Starlink and OneWeb's. Scientists have been studying these satellites for over a year now and have concluded that it is posing a grave influence to scientific studies, according to Satellite Constellations 1 Workshop (SATCON1) report.
Bright satellites that revolve around the planet, especially during the night or dark, are capable of reflecting the Sun's illumination, making them extra shiny and highly noticeable by ground-based optical and infrared instruments. These instruments are used by researchers to track discoveries in the heavenly bodies and are said to be more productive and powerful at night.
AAS brought a large number of researchers, scientists, astronomers, satellite operators, and dark-sky advocates to investigate and look at the status of the newly-added low-Earth orbit satellites (LEOsats) and its effects to the field of astronomy. According to The Independent, a whopping count of more than 250 participants joined the webinar via Zoom, held on June 29 until July 2 to present their observations.
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Low-Earth Orbit Satellites and their adverse effects to science
The American Astronomical Studies has reiterated and strongly implied that these satellites threats the studies and discoveries that are currently present in space. Astronomers and experts on the field rely on the dark and dimly-lit sky to observe heavenly bodies as accurate as possible.
Even the original Earth satellite, the Lunar Moon, is a hindrance to reaching out and seeing faint stars. Astronomers celebrate and take advantage of the faintness of the moon during the lunar phase, New Moon, and the likes of the recently passed, Black Moon.
Elon Musk's Starlink low-Earth orbit satellites are said to be luminous at night, especially when it is hit by the Sun, and impedes the chance of scientists to discover other cosmic entities observed through the telescopes.
What you saw was the @SpaceX #starlink satellite constellation. Looks like this! pic.twitter.com/yuyePFp3dU — Alberto Romero (@ARomero_WX) May 1, 2020
Scientists' advise to Starlink and other companies to launch LEOsats
(Photo : Unsplash)
Starlink, SpaceX, and Elon Musk are still on the works to launch around 30,000 satellites to revolve around the Earth and beam its internet service from above. That alone is considered by AAS and the community to pose a massive effect on the observation of cosmic objects brought by its trail and numbers. Starlink is currently operating a number near 600 satellites with SpaceX's recent launch.
The community asks Starlink and Musk to darken the design of their satellites, as well as to keep them low in orbit. Some even ask for the objects not to be launched. Science Mag reports that SpaceX and Starlink are working closely and providing the necessary tweaks that are needed to adhere to this problem.
Elon Musk's Starlink has been twisting its solar panels to lessen the satellites' glare and even develops the design to be ten times darker than it was before. Starlink is called out multiple times before this incident and blamed for ruining the moment for scientists when Comet Neowise returned to the Earth after 6800 years.
Low-Earth orbit satellites are still in its game as many private companies aim to launch their very own internet beams from the sky with the likes of Amazon's Project Kuiper and that of OneWeb.
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Written by Isaiah Alonzo
