Radio pollution from SpaceX’s new Starlink satellites poses threat to astronomy, scientists say

https://www.space.com/starlink-v2-mini-radio-noise-threatens-astronomy

21 Comments

  1. Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:

    |Fewer Letters|More Letters|
    |——-|———|—|
    |[ASAT](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lny1b0k “Last usage”)|[Anti-Satellite weapon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon)|
    |[BO](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnxjo4c “Last usage”)|Blue Origin (*Bezos Rocketry*)|
    |[EHT](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnydb78 “Last usage”)|Event Horizon Telescope|
    |[ELT](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo09uuo “Last usage”)|Extremely Large Telescope, under construction in Chile|
    |[FAA](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo16ktv “Last usage”)|Federal Aviation Administration|
    |[FCC](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnyqxy3 “Last usage”)|Federal Communications Commission|
    | |(Iron/steel) [Face-Centered Cubic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_iron) crystalline structure|
    |[GEO](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo0jc19 “Last usage”)|Geostationary Earth Orbit (35786km)|
    |[HST](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo37l0u “Last usage”)|Hubble Space Telescope|
    |[ITAR](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo2rbux “Last usage”)|(US) International Traffic in Arms Regulations|
    |[Isp](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnxyxfz “Last usage”)|Specific impulse (as explained by [Scott Manley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnisTeYLLgs) on YouTube)|
    | |Internet Service Provider|
    |[JWST](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo1iqw6 “Last usage”)|James Webb infra-red Space Telescope|
    |[LEO](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo2iwif “Last usage”)|Low Earth Orbit (180-2000km)|
    | |Law Enforcement Officer (most often mentioned during transport operations)|
    |[LISA](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo1j9fg “Last usage”)|Laser Interferometer Space Antenna|
    |[NSF](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnzanic “Last usage”)|[NasaSpaceFlight forum](http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com)|
    | |National Science Foundation|
    |[RCS](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lnzx0ib “Last usage”)|Reaction Control System|
    |[TMT](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo0zn9h “Last usage”)|Thirty-Meter Telescope, Hawaii|
    |[ULA](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo15kls “Last usage”)|United Launch Alliance (Lockheed/Boeing joint venture)|

    |Jargon|Definition|
    |——-|———|—|
    |[Starlink](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo39bik “Last usage”)|SpaceX’s world-wide satellite broadband constellation|
    |[hypergolic](/r/Space/comments/1fkqgb1/stub/lo3ef30 “Last usage”)|A set of two substances that ignite when in contact|

    **NOTE**: Decronym for Reddit is no longer supported, and Decronym has moved to Lemmy; requests for support and new installations should be directed to the Contact address below.

    —————-
    ^(19 acronyms in this thread; )[^(the most compressed thread commented on today)](/r/Space/comments/0)^( has acronyms.)
    ^([Thread #10605 for this sub, first seen 19th Sep 2024, 18:31])
    ^[[FAQ]](http://decronym.xyz/) [^([Full list])](http://decronym.xyz/acronyms/Space) [^[Contact]](https://hachyderm.io/@Two9A) [^([Source code])](https://gistdotgithubdotcom/Two9A/1d976f9b7441694162c8)

  2. Shredding_Airguitar on

    this is non intended emissions or out band emissions, spurious emissions etc. you try to minimize it with filters but filters only have so much rejection and there’s a subtle balance between masking those emissions and not adding too much loss. I don’t see it mentioned but it seems like it is meeting regulatory emission requirements for spurious emissions but that isn’t good enough and there doesn’t seem to be regulatory emission masks requirements perhaps in the emissions the astronomers are trying to use?

  3. greentoiletpaper on

    The second generation (v2-mini) starlink satellites produce 32 times more radio pollution than their predecessors. Anyone on /r/space care about discoveries about the early universe? better black hole pictures? Space weather forecasts?

  4. Both_Building_8227 on

    Lol, just space x’s satellites, huh? Not the plethora of other communications satellites up there, right? Not to speak of all the spy sats, etc….

  5. The article isn’t clear, is Starlink emitting noise in the same frequencies they are using for their observation?

  6. masterprofligator on

    Radio astronomy has become extremely difficult to do from the ground for a long time, not to mention the difficulties that the atmosphere introduces. If we’re going to push the boundaries and discover new things we need space telescopes.

  7. mmnmnnnmnmnmnnnmnmnn on

    really difficult one here for people in the middle of the “I Fucking Love Science” – “I Fucking Love Elon Musk” Venn diagram

  8. It also apparently provides enough background noise to see stealth aircraft against, with the right kind of receiver. Though this is according to a Chinese-affiliated source so it may be the usual posturing, it does make sense – instead of a radar return you look for a “shadow” cast by a downward spread of RF. Reflective or absorbent materials wouldn’t do much to avoid blocking the waves.

  9. Haven’t their newest generation of satellite been designed with minimizing that pollution in mind? I believe they were even recently cleared to operate in radio sensitive areas due to their very low level of radio pollution.

  10. Ok – I still think it’s a net benefit to society. It should be closely regulated but the benefits are huge with Starlink.

    The light bulb also screwed up astronomy.

  11. You know, if the government was capable of enforcing how isps spend their money we probably wouldn’t need this spacex crap

  12. They’re going to have to adapt and overcome, the tech is vital to humanity’s future. We will definitely want people under authoritarian governments to be able to connect to the internet.Â