Rocket Lab has unveiled plans for a larger rocket that can carry bigger payloads than its current reusable trooper, the Electron. It’s called the Neutron and will be capable of carrying 8 metric tons to low-Earth orbit compared to the Electron’s 660 lbs capacity. Engadget reports: The Neutron will also have a fully reusable first stage that can land on an…
Tag: satellite constellations
SpaceX’s 1st Starlink launch of 2021 is now set for Wednesday
SpaceX intends to launch tens of thousands of Starlink satellites, with lifespans of around 5 years, into low-Earth orbit. The goal is global internet access. Astronomers are concerned. Here’s how to watch Wednesday’s launch. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/spacexs-1st-starlink-launch-of-2021…
SpaceX launched 60 more Starlink satellites this week
After 2 weeks of scrubs, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket blasted off October 6, 2020, carrying 60 more Starlink satellites to orbit. The rocket successfully landed at sea 9 minutes later. Video of the launch and landing here, plus steps taken to reduce the bright satellites’ effect on astronomy. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/spacex-starlink-falcon-9-launch-oct-6-2020…
Is There a Way to Darken Satellites for Astronomers?
Astronomers are searching for solutions to the man-made “constellations” of satellites from SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper that they say are interfering with their work. Scientific American reports: Finally, in August — after more than a year of complaints from the scientific community and damage-control efforts from SpaceX — the National Science Foundation and the American Astronomical Society released a…
Astronomers issue report on the effect of ‘satellite constellations’ on astronomy
A new report concludes that large constellations of bright satellites in low-Earth orbit will fundamentally change ground-based astronomy and impact the appearance of the night sky for stargazers worldwide. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/astronomers-report-effect-of-satellite-constellations-astronomy…
New ESO study evaluates impact of satellite constellations on astronomical observations
Astronomers have recently raised concerns about the impact of satellite mega-constellations on scientific research. To better understand the effect these constellations could have on astronomical observations, ESO commissioned a scientific study of their impact, focusing on observations with ESO telescopes in the visible and infrared but also considering other observatories. The study, which considers a total of 18 representative satellite constellations…
Understanding the Impact of Satellite Constellations On Astronomy
jrepin writes: In June 2019, the International Astronomical Union expressed concern about the negative impact that the planned mega-constellations of communication satellites may have on astronomical observations and on the pristine appearance of the night sky when observed from a dark region. Now IAU presents a summary of the current understanding of the impact of these satellite constellations, and considers the…
Astronomers have serious concerns about satellite constellations
Picture the space around Earth filled with tens of thousands of communications satellites. That scenario is slowly coming into being, and it has astronomers concerned. Now, a group of astronomers has written a paper outlining detailed concerns, and how all of these satellites could have a severe, negative impact on ground-based astronomy. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-02-astronomers-satellite-constellations.html…
Satellite constellations harvest energy for near-total global coverage
Think of it as a celestial parlor game: What is the minimum number of satellites needed to see every point on Earth? And how might those satellites stay in orbit and maintain continuous 24/7 coverage while contending with Earth’s gravity field, its lumpy mass, the pull of the sun and moon, and pressure from solar radiation? Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-01-satellite-constellations-harvest-energy-near-total.html…
Maintaining large-scale satellite constellations using logistics approach
Today, large-scale communication satellite constellations, also known as megaconstellations, have been more and more popular. OneWeb launched the first batch of satellites of an initial 650-satellite constellation in February 2019, and SpaceX also launched the first batch of its 12,000-satellite constellation in May 2019. On July 8, Amazon also filed an application with the FCC for its planned satellite constellation with…