Concerns Over Megaconstellations and Space-Based Astronomy

Concerns regarding megaconstellations' impact on space-based astronomy have been raised by researchers affiliated with NASA Ames Research Center. A study published in the journal Nature highlights the risk posed by satellite fleets like SpaceX's Starlink, Amazon's Project Kuiper, and China's Guowang.

These megaconstellations can cause significant light pollution, affecting astronomical observations from both ground and space telescopes. For instance, the Hubble Space Telescope has already recorded artificial satellite trails in 4.3 percent of its images between 2018 and 2021.

With the number of satellites projected to increase drastically, the study forecasts that up to 96 percent of future images from telescopes like NASA's SPHEREx, ESA's ARRAKIHS, and China's Xuntian could show satellite trails.

Mitigation strategies proposed include limiting observations during dawn and dusk, yet researchers emphasize that these measures may not suffice given the anticipated increase in satellite numbers. SpaceX has attempted to address astronomers' concerns by implementing brightness mitigation techniques, but researchers argue these strategies might still fail to prevent contamination of astronomical data due to the orientation of satellites and their potential tumbling at the end of life, worsening light reflection issues.

Hence, enforcing detailed de-orbit plans and coordination among satellite operators is deemed critical to minimize hazards to space-based astronomy and ensure sustainable satellite deployment practices.