Radio waves leaking from large satellite constellations
Picture: Daniëlle Futselaar
A new study investigates the impact of radio emission by large satellite constellations on radio astronomy. An international team including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (Bonn) used the International LOFAR Telescope for one hour to observe 68 satellites of SpaceX's growing communication network Starlink. The observations show emission from a majority of satellites at observing frequency of LOFAR, including frequencies that are protected for astronomical purposes. The emission most likely originates from onboard electronics instead of being intentionally used for communication purposes. While not illegal, this emission exposes that such novel satellite constellations could potentially jeopardize future astronomical research. It shows that there is a need for close collaboration between researchers and satellite operators to mitigate unintended radio frequency interference that is caused by the equipment in use. The resulting paper was recently accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Read more:
https://www.min.uni-hamburg.de/ueber-die-fakultaet/aktuelles/2023/0707-satelliten-koennen-astronomische-forschung-gefaehrden.html
https://www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/pressemeldungen/2023/8?c=8727
https://www.astron.nl/radio-waves-leaking-from-large-satellite-constellations-could-jeopardize-astronomical-exploration/
