In California’s Pinnacles National Park on the Life at Night Atlas project for the National Geographic, I was looking for big-eared bats which you can hear their clicking sound in the video. Then a “train” of satellites photobombed the clip. The recently launched set were on their way to the final orbit of about 550 km; a part of Starlink satellite constellation for internet/mobile services. SpaceX has already launched 4000 starlinks, with about 12,000 total satellites planned, and a possible extension to 42,000. The sky above us is becoming very busy.
On one side is our need for internet globally. More than 3 billion people still don’t have internet access. About 50% of those with access, live in countries with heavy censorship and shutdowns during social unrest (tops by China, Iran, Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Russia). On the other side is the environmental impact of mega constellations, and Starlink will not be the only one. Frequent rocket launches increase black carbon chemicals in the atmosphere which adds to climate change. The night sky filled with sunlight-reflecting satellites largely impact astronomy research and our natural experience of the universe.
In 2020 SpaceX contacted me to consult on the impact of their satellites on astrophotography and stargazing. They were in the process of adding shields to new satellites and change the orientations to reduce visible reflection from the solar panels. It’s great that a large unstoppable company cares about the impact but there is not much they can do to make these satellites invisible. Once deployed from the Falcon 9 rocket the new Starlinks unfurl solar panels to a span of about 100 feet (30 meters). During orbit-gain period of several weeks they are visible to naked eyes. Once in the final orbit they are usually too faint for the naked eyes but they are easily revealed in astrophotos, even with wide-angle lenses. In deep sky telescopic and observatory images, they appear as many bright streaks that ruin the work, unless carefully timed with thousands of satellites coordination. Time-taking processing methods can remove them too.
9 views
99
27
1 month ago 00:21:34 1
🧪🧪Самые невероятные способы передвижения в космосе
1 month ago 00:00:32 1
view of the solar #eclipse from a Starlink satellite on orbit - solar eclipse from space
1 month ago 00:02:15 1
SpaceX Starlink 154 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 10 April 2024
1 month ago 00:00:44 1
Rare solar eclipse captured from Starlink satellite in space
1 month ago 00:01:13 1
2024 solar eclipse shadow seen from space by satellites and space station
1 month ago 00:08:31 1
Elon Musk shares HUGE update on Starship program!
1 month ago 00:00:00 1
SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink Group 6-48 - SLC-40 - Cape Canaveral SFS - Space Affairs Live
1 month ago 00:00:23 1
FROM SPACE! Solar Eclipse Captured By Starlink Satellite - YouTube
1 month ago 00:02:47 1
SpaceX Starlink 153 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 7 April 2024
1 month ago 00:08:39 1
SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites from California at sunset, nails landing
1 month ago 00:12:12 1
The Inside Story: SpaceX’s Revelations About Boeing’s Starliner!
1 month ago 00:00:00 1
SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink Group 8-1 - SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
1 month ago 00:02:11 1
SpaceX Starlink 152 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 5 April 2024
1 month ago 00:00:00 1
SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink Group 6-47 - SLC-40 - Cape Canaveral SFS - Space Affairs Live
1 month ago 00:08:59 1
SpaceX launches Starlink batch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, nails landing
1 month ago 00:02:48 1
SpaceX Starlink 151 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 2 April 2024
1 month ago 00:01:10 1
SpaceX rocket launch illuminates California evening sky sending 22 Starlink satellites into space
1 month ago 00:24:21 1
MTM Podcast: Internet Cepat Sampai Pelosok Negeri Bersama Nusantara Star Connect (NSC)
1 month ago 00:00:00 1
SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink Group 7-18 - SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
2 months ago 00:12:07 1
Elon Musk REVEALS Ambitious Plan For Flight Test 4!
2 months ago 00:02:08 1
SpaceX Starlink 150 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 31 March 2024
2 months ago 00:09:08 1
SpaceX launches Starlink batch in second launch of day, nails landing
2 months ago 00:14:47 1
Blindado M113, Javelin, satélite Starlink e arsenal da OTAN e EUA foram apreendidos pela Rússia