The Dual Nature of Satellites: Threat and Opportunity for Astronomy

Mega-constellations of satellites launched by companies like SpaceX and Amazon are causing problems for astronomers studying the universe from the surface of the Earth. However, some scientists see an opportunity to advance the field of astronomy by hitching thousands of tiny gamma-ray detectors to the satellites. The detectors would be weak individually, but together they could rival the power of NASA's Swift and Fermi gamma-ray observatories. While none of the companies building enormous satellite constellations have said they would be willing to deploy gamma-ray detectors or other new sensors that would help scientists, some scientists hope that government oversight can ensure minimal harm to science from mega-constellations and that partnerships with constellation operators can benefit everyone.