2024-09-19 12:39:26
A world without the Internet is no longer conceivable. However, Starlink satellites that provide us with Internet are now increasingly becoming a problem.
The Starlink satellites sent into space by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX bring internet to remote corners of the earth. But they also cause interference. So much so that a group of international astronomers, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, are now sounding the alarm. They criticize that the radio waves of the growing satellite network are hindering the view into space.
Observations with the Lofar (Low Frequency Array) radio telescope had already shown last year that the first generation of Starlink satellites emit radio waves that interfere with astronomical observations. The latest observations have now revealed that the second generation of Starlink “V2 mini” satellites emit radio waves that are up to 32 times stronger. “This can blind radio telescopes and hinder important research in the universe,” the researchers wrote in a joint statement.
The Starlink satellite network provides large parts of the world with broadband internet. Even the most remote areas can be reached. The internet speeds provided by the satellites are up to four times higher than average. However, this comes at a price, warn astronomers.
“Compared to the faintest astrophysical sources we observe with Lofar, the Starlink satellites are ten million times brighter. This difference is comparable to the faintest stars visible to the naked eye and the brightness of the full moon. As SpaceX launches about 40 second-generation Starlink satellites every week, this problem is becoming increasingly acute,” explains Cees Bassa of the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (Astron), which operates the Lofar telescope.
The result: Black holes, ancient galaxies, jets and exoplanets are becoming increasingly difficult to observe and study. This is hindering important research into the origins of the universe and our Earth.
In their joint statement, the scientists now demand: “As the consequences of such interference become increasingly clear, cooperation between satellite companies, regulators and the astronomical community is essential.” It is time to develop effective mitigation strategies.