Satellite boom is a 'growing threat' to space telescopes
2 days ago
- #astronomy
- #satellite-pollution
- #space-telescopes
- Increasing satellites in low-Earth orbit threaten space telescope images, with up to 96% disruption.
- Satellites reflect sunlight, Earthshine, infrared, and radio waves, creating streaks that obscure cosmic images.
- NASA study shows nearly one-third of Hubble's exposures are contaminated by satellite trails.
- Simulation predicts 560,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit could disrupt 40%-96% of major observatory images.
- Satellite numbers rose from ~2,000 in 2019 to 15,000 in 2025, narrowing room for astronomy.
- Telescopes like SPHEREx, Xuntian, and ARRAKHIS may face severe image disruption due to satellite streaks.
- Removing satellite trails from images leads to permanent data loss, compounding the problem.
- Alternative solutions (e.g., vertical telescope pointing or orbital redesign) are costly or impractical.
- Urgent need to balance satellite expansion with preserving astronomical research capabilities.