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SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

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Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#31

Post by chr1 »

Tomte wrote: post #22
quantdev wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that the ascent of humanity into the stars and the potentially incredible understanding of the universe we could gain would be stopped by 2019 regulations because amateur astronomers are short-sighted is just so cliche HN.

Well, the professional astronomers using large telescopes on Earth are the ones deepening our understanding of the universe. Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

Professional astronomers would rather use a swarm of large and better working telescopes in space instead of dealing with clouds, city lights, and the Sun not allowing to work at normal hours.

> Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

The "littering" will be done not just by "greedy entrepreneurs" but by millions of people who will pay for faster internet, and by astronomers who want better telescopes.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#32

Post by Tomte »

SEJeff wrote: post #27
Tomte wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the professional astronomers using large telescopes on Earth are the ones deepening our understanding of the universe. Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

I think you mean, "The greedy engineers that want to use said satellites to pay for a Manned Mars mission and make us a multi-planetary species."

Funny, the officially stated purpose is "Internet access". There is some handwaving towards "maybe it could do more".

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#33

Post by acd »

Good that is is being fixed!

Regarding "The astronomy community didn’t think of it"

I think just because we have public spaces does not mean one can do whatever one wants with them.

1) There has been disturbances in the past of radio astronomy spectrum from communication equipment, this limits our ability to learn and observe space. 2) There will be visual disturbances if we launch of satellite constellation for visual astronomy 3) There will be space junk when these satellites run out of service.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#34

Post by Tomte »

wongarsu wrote: post #26
Tomte wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure there is another solution: we ban them, or at least highly regulate them. The idea that private companies can just do whatever, and there's nothing we can do is just so cliché HN.

Nobody has jurisdiction over space. We can try to create an international agency and get all space fairing nations to submit to its regulations and rulings, but even if that was politically viable it would take years. Meanwhile Starlink will be deployed mid 2020 if no major delays happen

Great, so any of the hundred-something countries on earth are free to destroy those satellites? ;-)

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#35

Post by ceejayoz »

Tomte wrote: post #22
quantdev wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that the ascent of humanity into the stars and the potentially incredible understanding of the universe we could gain would be stopped by 2019 regulations because amateur astronomers are short-sighted is just so cliche HN.

Well, the professional astronomers using large telescopes on Earth are the ones deepening our understanding of the universe. Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

SpaceX is launching some of those telescopes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transiting_Exoplanet_Survey_Sa...

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#36

Post by sprash »

vasili111 wrote: post #12

Also do not forget that SpaceX is not the only company that wants to launch low orbit satelites. I do not think it is possible to find any other real solution other then to move telescopes to space.

> I do not think it is possible to find any other real solution

The solution is not to fill up our precious LEO with space trash. If you want faster Internet lay some fiber. It's probably even less expensive to lay some fiber across the whole jungle than Musks megalomaniac fantasies. As hobby radio astronomer this whole story fills me with rage.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#37

Post by Tomte »

ceejayoz wrote: post #35
Tomte wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the professional astronomers using large telescopes on Earth are the ones deepening our understanding of the universe. Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

SpaceX is launching some of those telescopes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transiting_Exoplanet_Survey_Sa...

And in order to launch it they are using their constellation how exactly? Ah yes, they don't. They are separate.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#38

Post by sprash »

Tomte wrote: post #34
wongarsu wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody has jurisdiction over space. We can try to create an international agency and get all space fairing nations to submit to its regulations and rulings, but even if that was politically viable it would take years. Meanwhile Starlink will be deployed mid 2020 if no major delays happen

Great, so any of the hundred-something countries on earth are free to destroy those satellites? ;-)

I was thinking about what would be the easiest way to destroy those satellites. A highly collimated microwave beam could do the trick. Or may be a really high powered Argon Ion Laser which are rather easy to build. Maybe somebody can come up with a neat DIY solution.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#39

Post by Tomte »

chr1 wrote: post #31
Tomte wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the professional astronomers using large telescopes on Earth are the ones deepening our understanding of the universe. Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites.

Professional astronomers would rather use a swarm of large and better working telescopes in space instead of dealing with clouds, city lights, and the Sun not allowing to work at normal hours. > Not the greedy entrepreneurs littering the sky with Internet access satellites. The "littering" will be done not just by "greedy entrepreneurs" but by millions of people who will pay for faster internet, and by astronomers wh…

> Professional astronomers would rather use a swarm of large and better working telescopes in space

Sure. How many telescopes do those StarLink satellites have? None, right.

Re: SpaceX working on fix for Starlink satellites so they don’t disrupt astronomy

#40

Post by cobookman »

cobookman wrote: post #18
dylan604 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The fact that they didn't would indicate nobody connected the dots. Or that nobody knew who/where to contact someone to raise their concerns. A lot of people will think that if I just had this thought, then it must be pretty obvious so that others will have the same thought as well. No need for further action. Others will just not feel the need to spend their time/effort trying to look up the complaints department.…

It’s not that hard to get in contact. If you cared you could LinkedIn message a SpaceX employee. Tweet at Elon Musk. Connected with nyt or other media who’d love to run such a story. ...etc

They also list contact info on their webpage.

https://www.spacex.com/about

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