Musk launched satellites ‘blocking’ view of the cosmos

Radio waves from Musk’s growing network of satellites are blocking researchers’ ability to peer into the cosmos, believe some Netherlands researchers. The new generation of Starlink satellites, which deliver fast internet around the globe, are interfering more with radio telescopes compared to earlier versions, they say. The thousands of orbiting Starlink satellites are “blinding” radio telescopes and may be impeding astronomical research, according to ASTRON (Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy). SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has not responded yet.

The satellites deliver broadband internet around the globe, often to isolated places, including challenging environments like Yemen and Ukraine. They are also employed to connect remote areas of the UK to fast internet. In 2022 tests disclosed that Starlink could deliver internet speeds four times faster than the average. But astrophysicists say this comes at a cost. “Every time more of these are launched with these kinds of emission levels, we see less and less of the sky,” said Professor Jessica Dempsey (director of ASTRON). “We’re trying to look at things like the jets, which are emitted from black holes in the centre of galaxies. We also look at some of the earliest galaxies, millions and millions of light years away, as well as exoplanets,” said she, highlighting the areas the satellite radiation is affecting.

Interference from the second generation satellites (V2) was found by ASTRON to be 32 times stronger compared to the first generation. The amount of radiation discharged exceeds regulations set by the industry body ITU (the International Telecommunications Union), Prof Dempsey added. One estimate suggests there are 6,402 Starlink satellites presently in orbit at about 342 miles (550km) above Earth. The satellites are fairly large – with 3m flat panels and an 8m solar array for power. SpaceX’s main competitor, OneWeb, has less than 1,000. But it is a mounting business area. Amazon is developing its own network and expects to launch at least 3,000 in the next few years. By 2030 the number of satellites in orbit is likely to surpass 100,000.

The study was conducted using the LOFAR radio telescope in the Netherlands on a single day in July earlier this very year. Many objects in space, including faraway galaxies and planets, release light on the electromagnetic spectrum. This radiation journeys like waves and radio telescopes can pick up on those waves, letting us to get a picture of things we can’t see with our eyes. But those waves are being disturbed by satellites. The researchers found unintentional electromagnetic radiation from nearly all the V2 Starlink satellites observed.