Giant constellation: emerging industries, or potential crisis

Night sky -beautiful but thin, is it a loophole in the rules?

A new report found that due to the reflection of sunlight on the giant constellation satellite, the sky may be brightened twice to three times.

This astronomical image was destroyed by the traces left by the Star Chain Giant Constellation Satellite of the American Space Exploration Technology Company. (Image source: Victoria Gilgis/Loyer Observatory)

A new report found that the giant satellite constellation is rapidly becoming a severe test facing the 21st century astronomy. Its harm is similar to urban light pollution. As the regulatory intensity is greatly lagging behind technological development, it has become urgent.

The U.S. Astronomical Society issued the contents of the report and summarized the discussion results of the Satellite 2 special seminar held, which pointed out that space industrialization is the huge Internet launch constellation consisting of small cheap satellites, such as American Space Exploration Technology Company The star chain project is about to change the appearance of the night sky.

Although most satellite eyes are invisible, most basic telescope can easily find their traces. However, the report said that the sky may be brightened by two to three times due to the long reflection of sunlight on the spacecraft, which further hinders observation.

When a century of low and convenient artificial light took over the world, astronomy found that they were facing a new, far -reappeared problem -it was pushed more and more from a edge and unwavering position.

Relevant reports said: "About 20 years ago, the rapid development of technology brought the feasibility of outdoor lighting to the light -emitting diode (LED). At the same time, due to uncontrollable operations and economic reasons, communities around the world began to install white LED lights as as" Their preferred lighting equipment to realize the transformation of traditional gas emissions systems. But over time, the side effects of the large blue spectrum distribution of sky sky and white light LED have become obvious over time. "

The speed of LED outdoor lighting has been so fast, which has led to the disadvantages of the astronomical society that has not been prepared since then. Now that there is a giant constellation, the astronomical society has the opportunity to influence the future event process. However, the "window of opportunity" is quickly closed.

The report said: "We are about to fundamentally change a natural resource. Since the earliest ancestors of ourselves, this resource has always been curious, telling, discovery, and understanding of ourselves and us. ","

And almost all participants who have discussed the 2nd seminar have noticed that the "number of observations of constellation satellites has risen sharply" in the past two years. It will expand the size of the universe. "

The report further supplements that the sky "must be regarded as part of the environment, and the current [US] National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) exemption to the satellite constellation industry must be terminated."

Participants pointed out that on these issues, the speed of progressing academic consensus is relatively low, and further and even longer political negotiations are the main problems in this situation. In contrast, the profit -driven satellite industry "can develop quickly and agilely in a new and cutting -edge competitive environment."

The report also puts forward basic suggestions for improving the cooperation between the astronomical community and the satellite industry, and also discusses the importance of protecting astronomy from unnecessary interference through development technology.

At the same time, the report pointed out that the improvement of satellite tracking, real -time information, and improvement of software on the shielding and eliminating astronomical observation satellite trajectory is necessary.

This problem is not limited to optical astronomy, but also affects all the wavelengths of observation.

Astronomers initially were surprised by the scale of damage caused by star chain satellites. In fact, after launching the first batch of satellites in 2019, this destruction became obvious.

Space Discovery Technology Company has tried to alleviate this problem by changing the height of satellites and darkening it, but the role of these measures is limited.

Artificial items have hindered astronomical observation. For example, last year, a team of researchers from China believed that they had observed the outbreak of gamma rays. It came from the oldest galaxy known in the universe and was the strongest outbreak related to the supernova explosion in the universe. Later studies showed that the strong light observed by the researchers was actually a waste rocket.

Earlier, the International Astronomical Federation called on the United Nations to protect the night sky as an indispensable property of human beings. At the same time, the Federation announced that it is preparing to establish a center of satellite constellation interference, which will be committed to alleviating the light interference of satellite constellations to protect the night sky.

By: Tereza Pultarova

Fy: Zhou Yueyue

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