Elon Musk wants to send 30,000 more Starlink satellites into space - and it has astronomers worried
Satellites in orbit are already an obstacle for astronomers. Sending tens of thousands more could compound issues without any solutions.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is once again asking for approval to send up nearly 30,000 more Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit- and astronomers are sounding the alarm over the request.
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SpaceX officials claim it is necessary to bring blazing gigabit speeds and “ubiquitous mobile connectivity to all Americans” for its high-speed internet service, as well as for billions of Starlink users around the world. The company requested that the agency grant it lower orbits for the second-generation system and more radio frequencies. SpaceX says additional frequencies will not cause significant interference problems to other spectrum users.
It is now asking for the OK from the Federal Communications Commission to deploy up to 29,988 Starlink satellites, likely using the company’s Starship megarocket.
The company had requested as many over two years ago, but the FCC only gave its permission for the deployment of up to 7,500. At the time the FCC said its decision would protect other satellite operators from harmful interference and maintain a “safe space environment.” But, the company’s 20-page October 11 filing neglects to mention any associated impact.
“Obviously, the impact,” Piero Benvenuti told The Independent Monday, “[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,”
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