The prototype satellite has become one of the brightest objects in the night sky, and dozens more may soon accompany it.Ann AST SpaceMobile tracked the BlueWalker 3 satellite, launched in September 2022, and found that it is sometimes brighter than all but a few stars and planets visible from Earth.Research results published in magazines Nature Astronomers are warning that the influx of private space projects into low-Earth orbit could change the way we see the night sky and disrupt research, a growing number of astronomers are warning. highlights concerns.
Researchers at the International Astronomical Union’s Center for the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies from Satellite Interference (CPS) observed Blue Walker 3 for 130 days. At just under 700 square feet, BlueWalker 3’s antenna array is the largest ever for a commercial satellite in low Earth orbit. The huge array reflected sunlight, and after it spread out, its brightness soared. This effect is not constant and varies depending on factors such as the satellite’s position relative to the sun and its viewing angle. CPS teams observed from sites in Chile, the United States, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Morocco.
“These results demonstrate a continued trend toward larger and brighter commercial satellites, which is particularly concerning given the planned launch of many more satellites in the coming years.” . Siegfried Eggl, one of the study’s co-authors. “While these satellites can serve to improve communications, it is essential that they minimize disruption to scientific observations.” AST SpaceMobile will ultimately deploy approximately 100 satellites based on the BlueWalker 3 design. plans to deploy a constellation of cellular broadband satellites.
SpaceX, which owns thousands of Starlink satellites, has repeatedly come under scrutiny for their potential impact on the night sky and has experimented with dark coatings to reduce the amount of reflected light, with limited success. . This is becoming an increasingly difficult problem for astronomers. Not enough. Ground-based observation stations will need to develop satellite avoidance strategies to avoid these artificial constellations, the researchers said in their paper.
And visibility isn’t the only issue. The abundance of commercial satellites in low Earth orbit, including Blue Walker 3, also threatens to interfere with radio astronomy.another And a paper published earlier this year found that Starlink satellites leak “unintentional electromagnetic radiation” that can interfere with radio telescope observations.