Radio astronomy, which seeks to study the oldest mysteries of the Universe, has encountered an unexpected obstacle in the sky: a huge number of Starlink satellites. A new study has shown that their radio emissions severely interfere with the operation of ultra-sensitive telescopes, in particular the future giant Square Kilometre Array (SKA).
A team led by Professor Stephen Tingey from Curtin University in Australia used a prototype of SKA to track signals from nearly 2,000 Starlink satellites. The results are alarming: at certain radio frequencies, a third of the scientific data was damaged by radiation from these spacecraft. This poses a direct threat to research of the early universe, which requires clear observations.
No rules are broken
The problem is growing rapidly. As of May, SpaceX has more than 7,600 satellites in low orbit, accounting for about two-thirds of all active satellites on Earth. Moreover, Elon Musk’s company plans to deploy a fleet of tens of thousands of such vehicles.
The main problem is radio interference. Researchers suggest that satellite electronics accidentally emit signals through their antennas. These “parasitic” transmissions are extremely strong and interfere with scientific observations.
“Imagine: you observe powerful radio sources, add a bunch of artificial ones, and make them move constantly. This has a huge impact, especially on experiments that require extreme sensitivity,” explained Professor Tingey.
The most alarming thing is that “parasitic” transmissions enter radio bands that are specially protected by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and allocated specifically for the needs of astronomy. However, whether SpaceX is violating the rules remains unclear, as the radiation is unintentional.
“No one is breaking the rules — these types of emissions are not yet regulated,” Tingey noted. However, discussions are already underway at the ITU on how this issue could be resolved in the future.
Serious obstacles to science
This is not the first conflict between astronomers and Starlink satellites. Previously, they caused problems due to excessive optical glare, appearing as bright streaks in images from optical telescopes. SpaceX has taken certain measures, using anti-reflective coatings and orientation changes to reduce this impact, but the new threat in the radio spectrum requires other solutions.
The researchers’ conclusion is clear: without action by satellite operators and the establishment of international standards for unintentional radio emissions, humanity’s ability to explore the deepest mysteries of the universe’s origins could be seriously undermined.
We previously reported on how geomagnetic storms pushed Starlink satellites toward Earth.
According to newscientist.com
