Tag

Satellites

All articles tagged with #satellites

space11 days ago•25 min saved

Fragile Orbits: Could a Debris Cascade Spin Out of Control?

The Guardian piece explains Earth’s orbit is now a crowded, evolving space: about 32,000 objects are currently tracked, with private mega‑constellations like Starlink driving a rapid rise in satellites and debris. Projections suggest as many as 60,000 active satellites by the end of the decade. A collision cascade—where one crash produces fragments that collide with more satellites—could rapidly worsen conditions, potentially making launches dangerous and the orbital environment unsustainable. Experts like Jonathan McDowell warn the system is fragile and hinges on continuous cooperation; deorbiting, nets, lasers and stronger space governance are being explored to avert a debris catastrophe.

via The Guardian|

#debris #megaconstellations #orbital-traffic

science11 days ago•43 min saved

Starlink satellite loses contact after anomaly; debris due for atmospheric burn

SpaceX says it lost contact with Starlink satellite 34343 after an anomaly; space-tracking company LeoLabs reported tens of nearby objects. SpaceX notes no new risk to the ISS or Artemis II and will monitor trackable debris as the satellite and fragments are expected to burn up in the atmosphere within a few weeks. The incident follows a similar December event in crowded low-Earth orbit (~560 km) as SpaceX pursues FCC licensing for up to a million satellites.

via The Verge|

#debris #satellites #science

technology15 days ago•4 min saved

SpaceX’s 1 Million Satellite Data Centers: Ambition Meets Real-World Limits

SpaceX’s plan to orbit up to 1 million data-center satellites is under FCC review. Gwynne Shotwell says the target is aspirational and may not be reached, but the company is starting with a high ceiling. Satellites could orbit Earth, the Moon, or even the Sun to manage congestion, while critics cite light pollution, atmospheric impact, and space-safety concerns. Rival firms are proposing their own large constellations, and SpaceX has signaled a cautious, phased approach with testing before scaling.

via PCMag|

#fcc #orbital-data-centers #satellites

photography17 days ago•21 min saved

Satellites Flood the Night Sky: A Photographer’s Heartbreak and a Widening Light-Pollution Crisis

A 30‑minute composite by Alan Dyer shows satellite trails across the night sky, illustrating how the rapid growth of orbital satellites is increasing light pollution for astrophotography. A 2025 survey found 90% of astrophotographers affected; with Starlink's 10,000th satellite launched and estimates of tens of thousands more, experts warn the practice could degrade night-sky photography unless shooters time sessions to minimize satellite trails.

via Digital Camera World|

#astrophotography #light-pollution #night-sky

technology18 days ago•7 min saved

SpaceX Unveils Gigantic AI Satellites Meant for Orbit, Longer Than the ISS

Elon Musk teased a rough rendering of orbiting data centers that would be longer than the ISS, powered by large solar arrays to support 100 kW of AI computing per satellite with future megawatt-scale versions, and a plan to launch up to 1 million satellites; experts warn about collision risk, light pollution, and atmosphere/astronomy interference, while SpaceX argues heat rejection in space and pursues a Terafab chip factory in Austin to supply AI hardware.

via PCMag|

#ai-computing #orbital-data-centers #satellites

business19 days ago•4 min saved

Low Earth Orbit Emerges as a Global Infrastructure Boom

Low Earth Orbit is rapidly maturing from a niche tech domain into a strategic, multi-decade infrastructure play, with more than $45 billion invested in 2025 and over $400 billion in the space economy since 2009. Major players like SpaceX, Amazon, Blue Origin, Nvidia, and Eutelsat/OneWeb are expanding constellations and exploring orbital computing, signaling a new era of rapid connectivity, AI-enabled orbit infrastructure, and potential public-market opportunities. Regulators warn that governance must evolve from GEO-era rules to safely manage security, sovereignty, and space debris as commercial operators become the primary users of space.

via CNBC|

#business #investment #leo

environment19 days ago•19 min saved

Greenland landslide unleashes 650-foot mega-tsunami, triggering nine days of global seismic ripples

On Sept. 16, 2023, more than 25 million cubic yards of rock and ice plunged into Greenland’s Dickson Fjord, spawning a 650‑foot mega-tsunami that set off a sustained seismic signal heard around the world for about nine days. The waves produced a regular seiche with measurable surface oscillations, and scientists traced the event to the fjord’s geometry and a landslide, while noting climate-driven glacier retreat as a contributing factor. Using satellite imagery, field observations, and computer models, researchers reconstructed the sequence and highlighted the potential for improved Arctic warning systems as next-generation satellites like SWOT expand monitoring capabilities. The full study appeared in Science and Nature Communications.

via Earth.com|

#environment #greenland #satellites

space20 days ago•75 min saved

Astronomers Fight Back as Sky-Dimming Satellite Plans Advance

Astronomers are protesting two proposed orbital schemes — SpaceX’s plan to launch one million orbiting AI data centers and Reflect Orbital’s plan for 50,000 sun-reflecting mirrors — arguing they would massively brighten and clutter the night sky, degrade telescope data, and upend long-standing astronomy. Leading organizations like the Royal Astronomical Society and the European Southern Observatory have filed FCC objections, warning the sky could become several times brighter than the full moon, pixels could be lost in images, and exposure times would have to be tripled, effectively transforming the nighttime sky and hindering scientific progress.

via Space|

#astronomy #fcc #reflect-orbital

space20 days ago•3 min saved

SpaceX Reaches 10,000 Satellites, Night Sky Art Exposes Light Pollution

SpaceX hit a milestone by launching its 10,000th satellite into low-Earth orbit, and photographer Joshua Rozells captured the night-sky impact in a 343-frame composite that highlights satellite trails. The image amplifies concerns about satellite light pollution affecting astrophotography and astronomy, and it spotlights regulatory gaps while acknowledging the benefits of widespread internet access.

via PetaPixel|

#astronomy #astrophotography #light-pollution

space21 days ago•2 min saved

SpaceX Deploys 25 Starlink V2 Minis From Vandenberg on Falcon 9

SpaceX launched 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on a Falcon 9 booster (B1100) at 2:51:49 p.m. PDT, marking the 30th Starlink batch this year. The first stage landed about eight minutes after liftoff on the drone ship OCISLY in the Pacific, continuing SpaceX’s long string of successful booster recoveries.

via Spaceflight Now|

#falcon-9 #satellites #space

space-exploration22 days ago•55 min saved

AI-Powered Space Cyberattacks Could Trigger Satellite Doom in Two Years

AI-driven cyberattacks could hijack satellites or cause collisions, sparking a debris cascade in low Earth orbit within two years. Experts warn that older satellites often lack cyber protections, and autonomous AI could accelerate reconnaissance and exploitation of space assets, risking widespread orbital damage.

via Space|

#ai #cyberattacks #satellites

world-news23 days ago•25 min saved

Satellite imagery lays bare toll of Iran war across Gulf and UAE

Satellite images from Planet Labs and the USGS show fires on ships in Bandar Abbas and damage at Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra base and a French naval facility, plus a fire at Dubai International Airport, illustrating the growing destruction in the Iran war. The imagery, released with a two‑week delay for security reasons, comes as the US and Israel strike Iranian targets and Iran retaliates with drones and missiles.

via New York Post|

#gulf #iran #military

space-exploration24 days ago•53 min saved

SpaceX hits 10,000 active Starlink satellites in orbit after dual launches

SpaceX completed two Falcon 9 launches from California and Florida, delivering 54 Starlink satellites and pushing the number of active Starlink satellites to 10,000 (with 10 non‑operational). Since 2019, 1,509 Starlink satellites have reentered Earth's atmosphere.

via Space|

#falcon-9 #launches #satellites

world25 days ago•13 min saved

IDF asserts rare strike cripples Iran’s anti-satellite program to secure space edge

An IDF Unit 9900 officer issued a rare public statement claiming Israel destroyed an Iranian base focused on developing anti-satellite technologies, aiming to preserve Israel’s space supremacy and support surveillance and defense operations. The briefing highlighted collaboration with the Defense Ministry and Israel Aerospace Industries, and tied Iran’s space programs (including Chamran-1) to broader regional security concerns and potential dual-use technologies for long-range weapons.

via The Jerusalem Post|

#idf #iran #satellites

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Reflect Orbital envisions a sky-lit future with thousands of mirrors in orbit

A California startup, Reflect Orbital, proposes a constellation of up to 50,000 in-space mirrors on satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth, potentially illuminating areas after dark (up to 3 miles) with 0.8–2.3 lux, and plans a prototype Earendil-1 to test the concept. They argue it could aid disaster zones, extended work hours, farming, or reduced city lighting at a cost of about $5,000 per hour per mirror and possible revenue shares with solar farms. However, astronomers and DarkSky International warn it would pollute the night sky, interfere with telescopes, increase space debris and collision risks, and most importantly, it awaits FCC approval before launch. If realized, it could fundamentally alter how we view the night sky.

via Gizmodo|

#astronomy #environmental-impact #lighting