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Starlink Satellite train
Plodding across the Atlantic this morning I was absent mindedly staring out the window enjoying the view as slowly but surely my eyes adjusted to the Milky Way coming in to view. A couple of nice shooting starts. And then a satellite passed overhead. And then another. And another and another and another and another. I stopped counting after 20. After my post flight snooze I googled and found this. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star...n)?wprov=sfti1 At first I was impressed by what I saw. But after seeing as many as I did I was a little disappointed because it started distracting me from my usual favourites of Orion in all its glory. 60 was distracting enough. Then I read on 12000 of the blighters!!!! I’m all for the advancement of life and knowledge on this blue marble. And the internet is a powerful tool for knowledge. But are we going too far??? |
Originally Posted by back to Boeing
(Post 10630938)
I’m all for the advancement of life and knowledge on this blue marble. And the internet is a powerful tool for knowledge. But are we going too far??? https://www.space.com/spacex-starlin...ervations.html When the company launched its first set of Starlink internet satellites in May, those with their eyes attuned to the night sky immediately realized that the objects were incredibly bright. Professional astronomers worried the satellites would interfere with scientific observations and amateur appreciation of the stars."That first few nights, it was like, 'Holy not-publishable-word,'" Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told Space.com. "That kind of was the wake-up call." https://globalmeteornetwork.org/?author=1 |
Whilst it's admirable (or malevolent) for the companies to want global internet for all, by further cluttering near-earth space with hundreds and potentially thousands of satellites seems counter-productive to my simple mind. I wonder if the mathematicians can quantify how much higher the chances are of collisions between said satellites and others of the same genre and all the space junk that litters Low Earth Orbit. I realise that Space is big, even that which surrounds us, but adding to the mix just seems like madness to me.
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The crazy thing is that there is no control or oversight over the launch of satellites. It's a purely commercial thing - anyone or any business can send up as many as they can afford. The only regulation is of the frequencies they can use to communicate.
I don't see why they shouldn't be controlled as strictly as airline operations. |
Kessler Syndrome?
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Very possible. How it hasn't happened in part already is puzzling.
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Originally Posted by Sallyann1234
(Post 10631032)
The crazy thing is that there is no control or oversight over the launch of satellites.
I don't see why they shouldn't be controlled as strictly as airline operations. |
Originally Posted by wiggy
(Post 10631452)
I think (from memory, from something I vaguely recall reading) there are agreements about the positioning of geostationary satellites, with them being allocated a "box" to operate in. Other than that - ?
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Originally Posted by Sallyann1234
(Post 10631518)
Geostationary broadcast satellites are positioned according to area coverage and frequency coordination.
I'm aware of that, but I also thought (possibly mistakenly) that I had read/heard that because that piece of "real estate" was of such value there was an agreement/coordination system to try and ensure such satellites (and of course it's not just comms sats) remained in an assigned "box" whilst they were operational and that once they became "inop" if possible they were moved out of the geostationary belt. I'll see if I can find out further... Edit to add: here you go: There's a Parking Problem.. |
Originally Posted by wiggy
(Post 10631573)
I'm aware of that, but I also thought (possibly mistakenly) that I had read/heard that because that piece of "real estate" was of such value there was an agreement/coordination system to try and ensure such satellites (and of course it's not just comms sats) remained in an assigned "box" whilst they were operational and that once they became "inop" if possible they were moved out of the geostationary belt.
I'll see if I can find out further... But there is no control for all these new satellites that the OP refers to, other than frequency assignments. |
Originally Posted by Sallyann1234
(Post 10631579)
But there is no control for all these new satellites that the OP refers to, other than frequency assignments. |
Originally Posted by wiggy
(Post 10631589)
Correct...I've never claimed otherwise.
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There could be even more:
But SpaceX isn’t alone in its satellite broadband ambitions: An international consortium called OneWeb is aiming to put its own broadband constellation into space with more than a billion dollars in backing from Airbus, SoftBank, Virgin Group and other partners. OneWeb’s first launch is expected to to occur within the next six months. If thousands of these craft are sent aloft, what's the chance of damage to Moon or Mars mission craft, probe launches, or even future satellite launches? |
List of planned constellations at table 1.......
https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...6889671930045X |
Space is big, really big. I mean you may think its a long way down the road to the chemist but thats just peanuts to space, listen.....
Ah Douglas. |
Apparently SpaceX is considering this issue and are investigating less reflective coatings for the starlink satellites. This will not help with the space debris problem of course, but it makes sense for reducing the effect on astronomy.
Link to news article: spaceflightnow.com/2019/12/09/spacex-to-experiment-with-less-reflective-satellite-coatings-on-next-starlink-launch/ |
Turin - thanks - I was trying to remember how that quote went but you saved me the trouble :ok:
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When the Next Asteroid Hits
StarLink will have been blocking it from view:(
But when there's money to be made, who cares about shutting down astronomy? Look at all the trouble those pesky scientists have been making over CO²:} |
The astronomy problem can be solved relatively simply.
Cover `em in Vantablack Being done already with certain types of less well-publicised satellites... if you catch my drift. |
Originally Posted by tartare
(Post 10643889)
The astronomy problem can be solved relatively simply.
Cover `em in Vantablack Being done already with certain types of less well-publicised satellites... if you catch my drift. |
That will do wonders for the thermal properties of the satellite |
First we filled the earth's oceans with plastic rubbish, now we're going to fill the earth's orbits with satellite debris.
Why do humans want to destroy the planet that gave them life? Bügger it, I'll be voting Green next :{ |
Thermal engineers will love that! :{
Gives me an idea for car number plates though :E |
Apple exploring satellite constellation development
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The International Astronomical Union expressed concern about these satellite constellations back in June 2019:
https://www.iau.org/news/announcements/detail/ann19035/ |
And here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50870117 Stargazers will be watching the skies to see if a compromise can be found. |
Next 60 satellites launch around 0220Z, about 5 hours away......
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If I hadn't seen them, I'd have not believed it.
Satellites . . . one hopes. West to East. <52N Straight line. Last one offset to the North. Dozens of them. Arms wide, about 20. 04.35 - 40ish. Mar 23 2021
What are they doing? |
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One of Mr Musk's Starlink trains I would guess
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They're the control units that make the 5G connection to all the microchips you've had injected into your body. You'll soon be controlled completely by ...well I'm a little unsure of that point
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Didn't Russia deploy a load of them very recently?
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If your name is Dave, they'll be taking a particular interest in what you are doing.
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Originally Posted by Loose rivets
(Post 11014352)
Satellites . . . one hopes. West to East. <52N Straight line. Last one offset to the North. Dozens of them. Arms wide, about 20. 04.35 - 40ish. Mar 23 2021
What are they doing? See a Satellite Tonight |
Thanks. I described them as a string of diamonds. So perfectly straight, given there's so much that can perturb early orbits. 60 sounds right. I must have gone out near the beginning. I dashed in for the phone, but not enough light for that tiny lens.
Clearly, cleaning local space is going to be big business in the future. |
Another good site showing what's overhead now... (and might be visible at night)...
https://www.heavens-above.com/skyvie...ul=en#/livesky Heavens Above I see from Gordy's site that the Starlink chain should visible across the SW of the UK at 4.21am tomoroow - routing NW/SE. Though it may be cloudy where I am... |
Originally Posted by treadigraph
(Post 11015169)
Another good site showing what's overhead now... (and might be visible at night)...
https://www.heavens-above.com/skyvie...ul=en#/livesky Heavens Above I see from Gordy's site that the Starlink chain should visible across the SW of the UK at 4.21am tomoroow - routing NW/SE. Though it may be cloudy where I am... The BBC are predicting clear skies for me at 4:20 am and my Bedroom window faces WSW so it couldn't be much easier.... I just need to set an alarm and then remember what it was for in time to go to the window. |
Shhh! It’ll upset the astronomers among us.
😬 |
Originally Posted by Loose rivets
(Post 11014352)
Satellites . . . one hopes. West to East. <52N Straight line. Last one offset to the North. Dozens of them. Arms wide, about 20. 04.35 - 40ish. Mar 23 2021
What are they doing? That invasion failed due to germ warfare so if they do land, the same thing will probably happen again due to Covid 19.:E |
Originally Posted by Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
(Post 11014673)
They're the control units that make the 5G connection to all the microchips you've had injected into your body. You'll soon be controlled completely by ...well I'm a little unsure of that point
Whatever you do, don't answer the door......if they even knock. |
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