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The search for traces of life on distant planets will be more difficult for the world’s largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO), because of interference from SpaceX’s Starlink and other megaconstellation satellites. Also affected will be the hunt for exoplanets and the study of the most distant galaxies, Federico di Vruno, radio … Read more
SpaceX is ready to send another batch of its Starlink internet satellites into orbit, and you can watch the action live. A Falcon 9 rocket is poised to launch 49 Starlink spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida at 1:13 p.m. EST (1813 GMT). You can watch it here at Space.com, courtesy of … Read more
SpaceX appears to be targeting Wednesday (Feb. 2) to fly its next batch of Starlink satellites, setting up what could be a coast-to-coast launch doubleheader for the private spaceflight company. According to a forecast from the U.S. Space Force’s Delta 45 weather squadron, SpaceX’s next Starlink mission (called Starlink 4-7) is now expected to launch … Read more
Despite efforts to reduce light pollution from the satellites, their disruptions of astronomical observations are increasing at an alarming pace — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
A prime ground-based observatory that scans the sky for exploding stars and dangerous near-Earth asteroids is struggling with disruptive light streaks from SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellite constellation, a new study revealed. The observatory, called the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), opened its telescope eye in California in 2017. Scanning the entire sky every two days, the … Read more
With the rapid expansion of commercial space, there is a growing number of satellites in orbit around our planet. Most of these are in low-Earth orbit, which is becoming increasingly crowded. This has led some to be concerned about a catastrophic rise of space debris, as well as a growing frustration by astronomers due … Read more
SpaceX’s Starlink internet megaconstellation keeps growing. A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket topped with 49 Starlink satellites lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida today (Jan. 18) at 9:02 p.m. EST (0203 GMT on Jan. 19). About nine minutes later, the rocket’s first stage came down to Earth for a pinpoint touchdown on … Read more
A SpaceX rocket will launch a new fleet of the company’s Starlink internet satellites into orbit tonight (Jan. 17) and you can watch it live online. In what will be SpaceX’s third flight of 2022, the company is set to loft 49 Starlink satellites into space on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Launch Complex … Read more
Starlink is the name of a satellite network developed by the private spaceflight company SpaceX to provide low-cost internet to remote locations. SpaceX eventually hopes to have as many as 42,000 satellites in this so-called megaconstellation. The size and scale of the project flusters astronomers, who fear that the bright, orbiting objects will interfere with … Read more
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of the year Thursday (Jan. 6), sending a new stack of Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida, before nailing a landing at sea. The previously flown Falcon 9 rocket blasted off at 4:49 p.m. EST (2149 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at … Read more