A video released showcasing Elon Musk 's Starlink satellite network has divided the public. Some seem impressed, while others are horrified, fearing that the sheer number of satellites will eventually have an impact on the night sky.
Starlink, a SpaceX, is bringing high-speed internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. It does this through a network of satellites placed in low Earth orbit. However, critics point to the potential impacts on astronomical observation, an increase in space debris, and a change in the landscape of the night sky.
There are about 9,000 stars in the sky visible from Earth and about 5,000 Starlink satellites, as of August of this year.
The orange dots in the image represent the satellites of the Internet service, Starlink.
Some experts fear that low-frequency radio waves are leaking into the sky and harming scientists ' ability to make astronomical observations. The same fear is expressed by ordinary skywatchers, who say that satellites will soon outnumber stars.
See also: Rare red aurora due to disturbances in Earth's magnetic field
Many people are expressing their concerns and opposition through Platform X, formerly Twitter, which is also owned by Elon Musk, like Starlink.
One user called the video “depressing,” adding that in a few years, satellites will outnumber the stars themselves.
Another user commented that there is no oversight and that “bigots are allowed to destroy the planet.”
Another added: “I don’t remember voting for Musk as Space Czar!”
However, Dr Kit Chapman, a historian of science and lecturer at Falmouth University, was quick to point out that these orange dots are not to scale.
See also: Study: Humans and mammals will disappear from Earth in 250 million years
"There are many things you can say about space science. Space debris, materials selection, satellite chemistry, etc.," he wrote on Twitter.
Chapman emphasized that “a Starlink satellite, for those wondering, is about the size of a dining room table,” and continued, “Space is not overcrowded. We humans are really terrible at understanding scale and numbers.”
Another viewer wrote that the video wasn't particularly "impressive or scary," but that it made it clear that Starlink would contribute significantly to space junk.
"It appears that Starlink satellites are designed to be deorbited, but they are at risk of colliding and creating more debris," he said on Twitter.
Space junk, or space debris, is anything left over from humans that is stuck in Earth's orbit. It could, for example, be a piece of a damaged satellite or spacecraft.
Objects in Earth orbit travel at about 15,000 miles per hour. That's quite a speed, and if a small piece were to collide with a satellite or spacecraft, it could cause serious damage.
The International Space Station has had to maneuver many times to avoid pieces of space debris.
See also: NASA: Brought 250 grams of dust from the asteroid Bennu to Earth
But as the global space industry opens up to billionaire entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson – activity in Earth orbit has increased. And in this case, increased activity means more trash
So scientists aren't just worried that the growing number of Starlink satellites will change the landscape of the night sky. They're also afraid of an extreme collision event, like the one NASADonald Kesslerin 1978.
He said that if there was too much space junk in orbit, it could lead to a chain reaction. In this case, more objects collide and create new space junk, to the point that Earth eventually becomes unusable.
Source: www.the-sun.com
