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This is a huge number and it is reported that there would be 600 more satellites than there are now in total orbiting the Earth. But does anyone count them?
Well, astronomers really do count, and that ever-increasing number of satellites scares them more and more.
The news that Amazon had received permission to launch 3,236 satellites went into orbit when SpaceX launched a regular portion of satellites. The Starlink network now consists of 600 satellites.
So far, that’s not much compared to the fact that SpaceX plans to deploy 12,000 satellites. But even that platoon of 600 satellites doesn’t attract astronomers, as they interfere with observing the night sky and conducting research.
A video of what the night sky will look like when 12,000 satellites appear on it has even been released. And Amazon wants to join them with their network.
VIDEO: Starlink satellites simulation when 12k are active
“We have no industry guidelines,” said Michele Bannister, an astronomer at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, adding that the current situation is practically out of control.
“We don’t have this industry organization that brings these enthusiastic companies together, maintains constructive relationships with the public, and we don’t have any regulatory structure that provides clear guidelines to the industry. “I honestly have an image as if we are lifting a bunch of planes in the air without a checkpoint to monitor their movement,” Michele Bannister described the current situation with satellites on the rise.
The problem is likely to deepen and astronomers raise it again, as both SpaceX and Amazon plan to further develop their projects and launch thousands or even tens of thousands of satellites.
Although SpaceX is trying to cover the satellites with a non-reflective coating, the effectiveness of this solution has not yet been proven.
An Amazon spokesperson told the Times that they were also working in that direction and that “this is an important part of satellite design.”
Still, astronomers urge national regulators to take the issue more seriously and not leave everything to the goodwill of companies. They are convinced that without proper supervision, terrestrial astronomy could face almost insurmountable challenges and it will be impossible to explore space via satellites. Only time will tell what it will really be like.
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