Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellites Could Severely Damage Ground-Based Radio Telescopes, Says Study

Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are causing significant disruption for astronomers worldwide. Scientists from the Netherlands, particularly the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), have reported that the growing network of Starlink satellites is interfering with radio waves used for vital space research. The satellites, designed to provide high-speed internet in remote areas across the globe, are blocking signals that allow astronomers to observe deep space objects, including black holes, exoplanets, and galaxies millions of light-years away.

Impact on Astronomical Research

According to Professor Jessica Dempsey, Director of ASTRON, the interference from Starlink's second-generation satellites (V2) is much stronger than the earlier versions. She highlighted that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by these satellites is up to 32 times stronger than what was detected from previous models, making it increasingly difficult for scientists to gather important data.

The satellites, currently orbiting Earth at around 550 kilometres above the surface, are creating substantial noise in the radio spectrum, blinding radio telescopes from capturing faint signals from space. This unintended interference is threatening the ability to explore and study distant cosmic phenomena.

Scientists Urge Action from SpaceX

There are currently over 6,400 Starlink satellites in orbit, with numbers expected to surpass 100,000 by 2030. This rapid growth has raised concerns among astronomers. Cees Bassa, lead author of a study on Starlink's effects, likened the radiation from the satellites to the brightness of the full Moon, drastically overpowering the faint stars astronomers aim to observe. Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director of the Royal Astronomical Society in the UK, emphasised the urgency of addressing this issue, calling for SpaceX to take immediate action.

Astronomers suggest that simple steps, such as shielding the satellite batteries or improving the design to reduce radiation emissions, could significantly mitigate the interference. Without such measures, they warn that ground-based astronomy could face severe limitations, making it harder to study the universe.

Professor Dempsey noted that the situation is an existential threat to astronomical research if left unresolved. Scientists believe that as the largest satellite provider, SpaceX could set a precedent for responsible space operations.

 



from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/brGsqYC

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

COVID-19 origins: Should we pay more attention to the lab leak theory and formally investigate it?

Image
A year and a half into the pandemic, we still do not know exactly where the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, came from. The prevailing view so far has been that the virus “spilled over” from bats into humans. But there are increasing calls to investigate the possibility that it emerged from a lab in Wuhan, China, where Covid first appeared at the end of 2019. So what do we know for sure, and what do we need still to find out? We know the sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is close to that of bat coronaviruses . Several decades ago its “ancestor” was circulating in bat populations in southern Asia. But there are still many unanswered questions: we don’t know how the virus arrived in Wuhan, how its sequence evolved to allow human infection, and under what conditions it infected the first people who crossed its path. And for each of these stages, we don’t know whether there was a human contribution (direct or indirect). Zoonotic transmission pathways, in other words the pas
Read more

Menstrual cups are cheaper, more sustainable than pads and tampons for women

Image
Every year in America, women spend at least US$2.8 billion on sanitary pads and tampons that can take hundreds of years to decompose . Is there a more economical and environmentally friendly way? To find out, we asked Susan Powers , a professor of sustainable environmental systems at Clarkson University about her work comparing the environmental impact of tampons, sanitary pads and menstrual cups. What is a menstrual cup? A menstrual cup is a type of reusable feminine hygiene product. It’s a small, flexible bell-shaped cup made of rubber or silicone that a woman inserts into her vagina to catch and collect menstrual fluid. It can be used for up to 12 hours, after which it is removed to dispose of the fluid and cleaned. The cup is rinsed with hot water and soap between each insertion and sterilized in boiling water at least once per period. A cup can last up to 10 years . Although menstrual cups have been around for decades, they historically have been less popular than pads or ta
Read more

Human bodies respond to infections differently depending on the time of day

Image
When microorganisms – such as bacteria or viruses – infect us, our immune system jumps into action. It’s highly trained to sense and eliminate infections and clear up any damage caused by them. It’s typically assumed our immune systems work the exact same way regardless of whether an infection occurs during the day or at night. But research spanning over half a century now shows our bodies actually respond differently at day and night. The reason for this is our body clock, and the fact that each cell in the body, including our immune cells, can tell what time of day it is. Our body clock has evolved over millions of years to help us survive. Every cell in the body has a collection of proteins that indicate the time depending on their levels. Knowing whether it’s day or night means our body can adjust its functions and behaviours (such as when we want to eat) to the correct time. Our body clock does this by generating 24 hour rhythms (also termed circadian rhythms ) in how cells f
Read more