SpaceX and Amazon’s satellite constellations will affect ESO telescopes

If you haven’t been paying close attention to all things space-related, you may not know that earth’s orbit will be filling up with satellites soon.

Satellite mega-constellations in progress

SpaceX and Amazon both have ongoing projects – Starlink and Project Kuiper – that will look to potentially bring tens of thousands of new satellites online and orbiting around earth.

Both companies plan to build internet-beaming constellations of small satellites to provide internet coverage back on the planet. These constellations will cross the skies regularly.

Every so often, the satellites will also block our views of the skies. The International Astronomical Union is trying to bring attention to the dangers these constellations pose to astronomy.

Watch: Starlink satellites passing over New Mexico

Six minute overpass of @SpaceXStarlink satellites on Mar 7, 2020 from 4:27am – 4:33am MST at Tres Piedras, New Mexico, USA pic.twitter.com/iR1zG4u30P

— Mike Lewinski (@ikewinski) March 7, 2020

Impact on telescopes

These constellations could have a big impact on observations made by ground observatories. Ground observatories are still critically important in astronomy as they can provide higher resolution images.

Ground observatories are also a lot easier and, importantly, cheaper to maintain and upgrade. However, their effectiveness could be compromised by Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

It could have a massive impact on two ESO telescopes if the constellations of satellites by Amazon and SpaceX be allowed to orbit without oversight. ESO officials explained in a statement:

“Depending on the science case, the impacts could be lessened by making changes to the operating schedules of ESO telescopes, though these changes come at a cost. On the industry side, an effective step to mitigate impacts would be to darken the satellites.”

This photo shows the effect of the SpaceX Starlink satellites on astronomical observations of the night’s sky. The 333-second exposure shows at least 19 satellites passing overhead.

SpaceX and Amazon’s plans for the future

The new European Southern Observatory (ESO) study is based on 26 000 satellites being in orbit around the planet. In reality, this number could be significantly larger.

SpaceX already has 300 in orbit with approval to launch 12 000 more. Over and above this, they have applied for permission to launch an additional 30 000 satellites.

Amazon’s Kuiper project would most likely be looking to launch similar volumes of satellites. These numbers are hugely significant when you consider that there are only around 2 200 operational orbiting satellites at the moment.

SpaceX claims no impact

SpaceX are confident that their satellites will have no effect on telescope observations. The company is testing a coating that will reduce glare from its Starlink satellites.

The company also highlighted that the satellites currently in orbit are travelling lower and in formation; and won’t be indicative of the brightness of the satellites at their operational orbit.

Elon Musk said Monday 9 March 2020 during a keynote conversation at the Satellite 2020 conference in Washington, D.C:

“I am confident that we will not cause any impact in astronomical discoveries. Zero. We’ll take corrective action if it’s above zero.”