Elon Musk’s SpaceX is seeking permission to launch nearly 30,000 more Starlink satellites into space.
The tech billionaire is renewing his push for approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) but astronomers are sounding the alarm.
The project is part of SpaceX's broader mission to deliver super-fast gigabit internet and 'ubiquitous mobile connectivity to all Americans' and billions of Starlink users around the world.
If approved, 29,988 Starlink satellites would be launched into low-Earth orbit, most likely using the company’s Starship megarocket.
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SpaceX requested permission to operate these satellites at lower orbits and to use more radio frequencies. According to the Musk-founded company, these additional frequencies will not cause interference problems for other users.
Only two years ago, the FCC granted permission for the deployment of up to 7,500 satellites. They reported that their decision would protect other satellite operators from harmful interference and maintain a 'safe space environment.'
Astronomers, like Piero Benvenuti, are concerned about the impact of so many satellites and ‘space junk’ that float around the Earth.
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Benvenuti told The Independent: "Obviously, the impact [is] what we have already known for several years, [and] claimed that there’s a severe impact on astronomy, both optical and radio astronomy and also the visibility of the pristine sky.”
Not only that, last month, astronomers said that emissions from Starlink satellites were disrupting signals from the European Low-Frequency Array radio telescope network, making it harder to study exoplanets and black holes.
The International Astronomical Union is working with SpaceX to find ways to lessen the impact of the satellites on astronomy.
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Benvenuti, who is also the director of the union’s Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference, added: “We are trying to find measures that would not impact, too severely, astronomy."
One idea is to make the satellites "almost invisible to the naked eye."
It may prove tough but Benvenuti hopes scientists will "try to work on the material science to find the coating of the satellite that would not reflect, like a mirror, the light of the Sun.”
Making the satellites less reflective could help reduce the satellites' impact on the natural night sky.
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Another potential fix is tracking the exact positions of the satellites. However, this is challenging since the satellites and the International Space Station constantly need to dodge each other and space debris.
Radio frequency communication may also pose an issue.
“Although the bandwidth they are using is not among the so-called ‘protected’ radio bands for radio astronomy, they are very close to them. And so, there is always spillover of noise,” said Benvenuti.
“And, it’s very difficult, in that case, to avoid interference.”