2023-07-11 15:42:00
Scientists have discovered evidence that Starlink, a constellation of satellites for internet connection managed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, may be “leaking” electromagnetic radiation and causing problems in radio frequency bands that should be protected for astronomy research.
According to a study published in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysicsseveral satellites that make up Starlink would be “leaking” low frequencies separate from their allocated bands, which might affect astronomical explorationsince the observation equipment might confuse the signals coming from space.
Although the emission of undue radio frequencies is minuscule — regarding a million times weaker than the emissions of a cell phone — researchers fear that the leak is enough to harm scientific studies.
A team at the Max Planck Institute used a telescope to observe 68 Starlink satellites. The researchers found that 47 of them were emitting “unintentional electromagnetic radiation”. The group observed only SpaceX unitstherefore, there is still no data indicating undue emissions by satellites of other companies.
Cees Bassa, co-author of the study, says that his team detected radiation between 110 and 188 MHz in more than half of the satellites observed. “This range of frequencies includes a protected band between 150.05 and 153 MHz, specifically assigned to radio astronomy by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),” warned the expert.
It is estimated that there are a total of 4,365 Starlink satellites in Earth orbit, and the company’s launch schedule includes thousands of new units to expand internet coverage via satellite, which already operates in Brazil with prices starting at R$ 184/month.
SpaceX is aware of radiation emissions from satellites following researchers alerted it, and claims to be working on ways to reduce or remove the leak.
Satellites make thousands of maneuvers to avoid collisions
A SpaceX report sent to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States states that, in less than six months, the company needed to do more than 25,000 maneuvers on Starlink satellites to avoid collisions with other components in orbit.
Since Starlink’s first launch in 2019, satellites have had to move more than 50,000 times to avoid collision courses, igniting concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of satellite operations.
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“Right now the number of maneuvers is growing exponentially,” said Hugh Lewis, professor of astronautics at the University of Southampton in the UK. “[As manobras] have been doubling every six months, and the problem with exponential trends is that they get to very large numbers very quickly.”
If this trend continues, by the year 2028, it is possible that Starlink satellites will have to maneuver almost a million times in just one semester to minimize the risk of collisions with other artificial bodies in orbit.
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