The IAU (International Astronomical Union) has issued a press release in which it expresses its concern at the multiplication of the number of satellites in low orbit in our skies. The excessive brightness of these space objects hinders the work of astronomers.
The problem is so serious that the International Astronomical Union has established a Center for the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies from Interference from Satellite Constellations. This is the launch of BlueWalker 3, the biggest and brightest commercial satellite never put into orbit, which prompted scientists to challenge the authorities. According to the measurements of astronomers, this spacecraft which deploys space antennas over 64 square meters is the most luminous celestial object ever observed. It leaves streaks in the sky that create heavy light pollution and make precise observation of the sky impossible.
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The situation is even more serious than we imagine. AST SpaceMobile, designer and manufacturer of the BlueWalker 3, intends to launch 243 satellites of this type, on 16 orbital planes at an altitude of 730 kilometers on average. The company’s intention is to propose a cellular network based on these space antennas which will allow current smartphones to connect to satellites, without the need for specific equipment. It is more or less this kind of service that Huawei already offers with the Mate 50 or the iPhone 14.
The BlueWalker 3 satellite is so bright it makes it hard to see the stars in the night sky
In addition to eclipsing all but the brightest stars, the BlueWalker 3 uses terrestrial radio frequencies, making it hard for radio astronomers to work. The AST SpaceMobile project also constitutes a danger for the constellations (commercial or not) already in place. The risk of collision is apparently not negligible.
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The IAU is an international NGO, but it has little power against the big American aerospace companies. This is why it seeks to enter into partnership with the latter rather than confronting them. The organization states: “The IAU admits that new satellite constellations have an important role in improving global communications. That said, their interference with astronomical observations could severely hamper our understanding of the cosmos. Their deployment should therefore be carried out taking into account their secondary effects and with the necessary efforts to minimize their impact on astronomy”.
Source: IAU