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Why SpaceX Seeks Approval to Launch 1 Million Satellites: Key Insights

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SpaceX satellite launch at Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX Satellite Launch at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Geopics/Alamy

As 2026 approaches, one of the year’s most significant space stories is already emerging: the rise of mega-constellations and ambitious plans to launch thousands of satellites into Earth’s orbit.

Recently, SpaceX made headlines by requesting approval from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy 1 million orbital data center satellites. This unprecedented move follows SpaceX’s previous filing in 2019 for 42,000 Starlink satellites.

“This is an unprecedented scale for any satellite constellation,” says Victoria Samson, an expert at the Secure World Foundation in the United States.

Currently, SpaceX operates the largest satellite constellation, the Starlink Internet service, with approximately 9,500 satellites in orbit of the total 14,500 satellites. However, this current setup represents just 1% of SpaceX’s planned satellite network. Furthermore, these Starlink satellites are already navigating a risky orbit, as the company anticipates needing to prevent 300,000 collision scenarios by 2025.

The latest information released on January 30 reveals CEO Elon Musk’s vision for these data centers. Musk states that the launch of a million satellites is a fundamental step towards evolving into a Kardashev II civilization. The Kardashev Scale, developed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964, quantifies the technological advancement of civilizations.

With AI’s energy requirements rising, the concept of space-based data centers has gained traction. In November 2025, the American company StarCloud successfully launched a demonstration data center powered by advanced Nvidia chips. The European Commission has also conducted studies indicating the feasibility of such orbital data centers.

Musk suggests that the reusability of SpaceX’s Starship rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built, enables this ambitious satellite deployment. He claims, “With hourly launches and 200 tons per flight, Starship will transport millions of tons yearly into orbit and beyond, ushering in a new era of human exploration.”

This filing coincides with SpaceX’s announcement on February 2 about acquiring xAI, a company that operates the social media platform X and the intriguing Grok chatbot. “If you want AI in an orbital data center, it’s a bundled package,” says Ruth Pritchard-Kelly, a US satellite regulation expert.

SpaceX is not the only entity aiming to launch more satellites. On December 29, China requested to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to deploy 200,000 satellites into space. While there are no explicit restrictions on the number of satellites that can be safely deployed, prior research has suggested that managing over 100,000 satellites could become exceedingly challenging.

The FCC will take several months to decide on SpaceX’s application, during which public comments are welcome, and a separate submission to the ITU is required. Once approval is granted, SpaceX typically has six years to deploy half of the constellations but is requesting a waiver, arguing that their satellites communicate via optical links and do not cause radio interference.

SpaceX has stated that it will place its satellites in slightly polar orbits, ranging from 500 kilometers to 2,000 kilometers in altitude, primarily above the current Starlink operational altitudes. While the dimensions of the proposed satellites remain unspecified, it’s estimated that if they are similar to existing Starlink satellites, approximately 10,000 Starship launches will be needed to complete the constellation.

If Musk’s plan for hourly launches is realized, it would take just over a year to deploy the entire million satellite network. SpaceX assures safe disposal of satellites at the end of their operational lifespan by relocating them to decommissioned orbits or placing them in solar orbit.

The extensive proposed constellation could significantly impact astronomical research. SpaceX highlighted its ongoing collaboration with the scientific community in its application. However, in December, researcher Alejandro Borlaf from NASA Ames Research Center warned that adding 500,000 satellites could render “nearly all telescope images from the ground and space contaminated by satellites,” hampering scientific discovery.

These orbital data centers might be brighter than many existing satellites due to their need for large solar panels and radiators similar to those found on the International Space Station, designed to expel heat into space.

Whether or not SpaceX is genuinely prepared to deploy 1 million satellites remains uncertain. Given the staggering nature of this number, Pritchard-Kelly suggested this could be an instance of Musk’s “shock and awe” tactics, implying that the actual satellite count may be significantly lower. SpaceX and the FCC have not responded to requests for comments.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Satellites Can Utilize Magnetic Fields to Prevent Collisions

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Innovative Control Method for Satellites in Space

Mike_shots/Shutterstock

Utilizing magnetic fields to maneuver satellites could significantly enhance the longevity of space exploration missions and reduce the risk of collisions between spacecraft.

Currently, most space missions and artificial satellites depend on propellant for movement in space, which limits their operational lifetimes due to fuel depletion. An innovative alternative, known as electromagnetic formation flight (EMFF), employs renewable energy sources like solar panels to power onboard electromagnetic coils. These coils generate magnetic fields that can theoretically steer spacecraft through interactions with similar fields from adjacent satellites.

However, researchers have faced challenges with EMFF due to a phenomenon called electromagnetic coupling. The magnetic field from one satellite affects not just nearby satellites but all satellites in proximity, complicating coordinated movement among multiple objects.

A research team at the University of Kentucky has proposed a promising solution through a method called alternating magnetic field forcing (AMFF).

This technique enables two satellites to communicate and control each other’s trajectories without disrupting a third satellite. This is achieved by utilizing distinct interaction frequencies, allowing two satellites to coordinate on one frequency while maintaining communication with others on different frequencies.

The AMFF concept has been successfully tested on Earth instead of in space. The three satellites were positioned on specialized linear rails employing high-pressure air to create a low-friction environment. With the integrated laser ranging module, the satellites achieved precise travel distances and effective interactions as defined by the researchers.

The project team did not respond to interview requests. However, Alvar Saenz Otero, a researcher at the University of Washington, noted that this paper represents a significant advancement in a long-standing research area. “The complexity of a formation flight system increases significantly when transitioning from two to three satellites,” he explains.

Yet, Otero expresses skepticism about the immediate application of this technology for low-Earth orbit satellites, such as massive constellations like Starlink. “Our work on EMFF has primarily focused on deep space operations,” he adds.

Earth’s atmosphere can impact the frequencies utilized for EMFF or AMFF, introducing interference that complicates satellite control, he notes.

While it is currently feasible for three units to fly together and utilize magnetic fields for navigation, scaling this approach to manage thousands of satellites poses a formidable challenge. “This is not applicable at the constellation level,” remarks Ray Sedwick from the University of Maryland.

“Employing superconducting magnetic coils significantly extends the operational range of EMFF, but numerous technical challenges remain,” Sedwick explains, indicating that large-scale magnetic motion might still be on the horizon.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

China’s Ambitious Plan: Why Is the Nation Aiming to Launch 200,000 Satellites?

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Busy Earth Orbit

Increasing Traffic in Earth’s Orbit

Maciej Florow/Getty Images

China has proposed launching nearly 200,000 satellites into Earth orbit, potentially aiming to secure orbital space rather than genuinely establishing the largest satellite constellation.

On December 29, China’s newly formed Radio Technology Innovation Research Institute submitted a proposal for two satellite constellations, CTC-1 and CTC-2, to the Chinese government and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which manages frequency allocations in space.

Each constellation will consist of 96,714 satellites arranged across 3,660 orbits. This starkly contrasts with the current active satellite count of approximately 14,300, of which around 9,400 are SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, providing internet service. SpaceX has also applied to the ITU for a total of 42,000 satellites.

Victoria Samson from the US nonprofit Secure World Foundation indicates that this application might reflect a strategy of land grabbing in space. “They might be preparing for something much larger,” she suggests.

By raising this claim with the ITU, other satellite operators intending to launch in the same orbits must prove that their operations won’t be affected. According to ITU regulations, at least one satellite must be launched within seven years of the initial application, and all proposed satellites must be deployed within another seven-year timeframe.

“If you apply early and meet the deadlines, you can deter others from launching in your designated space,” states Tim Farrar, a US satellite communications expert. He further clarifies that China’s extensive applications for multiple orbits suggest some uncertainty in their constellation plans, giving them flexibility. “There’s almost no penalty for doing it this way.”

However, should this application be legitimate, achieving such a launch scale appears nearly impossible. In 2025, China achieved a record of 92 rocket launches. To deploy 200,000 satellites within seven years would necessitate launching over 500 each week, translating to hundreds or even thousands of launches annually.

This is not the first instance of spatial land grabbing; Rwanda previously applied to the ITU for a constellation of 327,000 satellites in 2021, yet this did not impede the operations of Starlink and other satellite providers. “Operations remain largely unchanged,” remarks Farrar. “It seems doubtful that Rwanda will achieve such a massive number of satellite deployments.”

China’s proposal underscores the intensifying rivalry among mega-constellation players, particularly among space internet companies vying for a market potentially encompassing millions or more, thus influencing global information distribution. Many entities are racing to catch up to SpaceX, including Amazon’s Project Leo (formerly Project Kuiper), which has launched about 200 of its intended 3,236 satellites. Additionally, China’s state-backed constellations, Qianfan and Wang, have launched several hundred of their anticipated thousands.

“Fifteen years ago, the notion of a single constellation hosting 1,000 satellites seemed far-fetched,” states Samson. “Currently, over 9,000 personnel are engaged in Starlink operations.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Over 100 New Satellites Discovered in Our Solar System in 2025

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Uranus's new moon S/2025 U1 discovered by James Webb Space Telescope

Uranus’ New Moon S/2025 U1 Discovered by James Webb Space Telescope

Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/M. El Moutamid (SwRI)/M. Hedman (University of Idaho)

This year, astronomers have discovered over 100 previously unknown moons in our solar system. With many more potentially awaiting discovery, cataloging these moons could enhance our understanding of planet formation.

In March, Edward Ashton and his team at Taiwan’s Academia Sinica discovered 128 new moons around Saturn, raising the planet’s total to 274. The researchers utilized hours of images taken by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, stacking them to reveal dark objects previously undetectable.

Ashton’s team now holds the rights to name the newly discovered moons; however, due to the sheer number, many of Saturn’s moons lack unofficial names.

In August, a small, faint moon was identified in orbit around Uranus, increasing its total to 29. Mariam El Moutamid and researchers from the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado made this discovery using 10 long-exposure infrared images captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

The team has not disclosed potential names for the new moon, which is currently known by its tentative designation, S/2025 U1. Eventually, it will be named after characters from Shakespeare’s plays, following the tradition established in 1787 when Earth’s first two moons, Titania and Oberon, were discovered.

Nigel Mason from the University of Kent indicates that more moons are likely to be discovered in the solar system, particularly around Neptune and Uranus, but he believes that the largest have already been mapped.

“Everyone enjoys finding a new moon and contemplating what to name it,” says Mason. “It’s an exhilarating moment—it’s a legacy.”

The ongoing cataloging and measurement of nearby satellites will help scientists learn more about their formation, allowing us to update existing models of planet formation.

“Why are there so many? What caused it? How do you create 40, 50, or 60 moons of varying shapes and sizes?” Mason notes. “That’s what makes them fascinating. It’s truly astounding, revealing that our understanding of the entire planet formation process is not as solid as we once believed.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Rising Solar Threats Target SpaceX’s Starlink and Other Satellites

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Starlink satellite paths observed from space

Don Pettit/NASA

The proliferation of satellites in orbit is accelerating rapidly, yet their vulnerability to solar storms remains poorly understood. This issue is expected to intensify.

Since May 2019, SpaceX has deployed over 10,000 satellites as part of its Starlink internet megaconstellation, with approximately 1,000 currently re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at a rate of one or two daily. These satellites form a vast network surrounding the Earth, which suggests that solar and related geomagnetic storms could impact at least some satellites at any given time.

To assess the implications of these storms on Starlink, Kang Eun Joo and researchers at the University of California, Irvine, analyzed publicly available satellite tracking data collected during the solar storm of May 2024.

The findings indicated that during the storm’s peak, Starlink satellites on the sun-facing side experienced an altitude reduction of up to half a kilometer. While this drop is minor compared to their 550-kilometer orbit, it is significant because solar radiation can generate atmospheric drag on the satellites.

Satellites in other locations, particularly those near the Earth’s poles where the magnetic field attracts more solar particles, and those over the South Atlantic Anomaly, where the magnetic field has weakened, also experienced substantial effects.

According to the data reviewed by the research team, an unusual phenomenon occurred among the constellations. “When one satellite descends, neighboring satellites must adjust accordingly,” Kang explained, utilizing onboard ion thrusters to recalibrate the affected satellites. This is necessary since the satellites communicate via line-of-sight lasers to maintain the network, which creates a cascading effect as adjacent satellites follow suit. “It’s like a wave,” remarked Sangeeta Abdu Jyoti, another researcher at UC Irvine.

This could lead to challenges for other satellites maneuvering around the Starlink constellation to prevent collisions. “Unpredictable paths heighten collision risks,” Abdu Jyoti cautioned.

Additional publicly accessible data also reveals the repercussions of solar storms. Some Starlink users utilize an online service called RIPE Atlas to monitor their connection status. By analyzing this information, Kang and her team noted that satellites experienced disruptions and reported network outages during the May 2024 storm. “Packet loss surged immediately,” Kang stated, resulting in data failing to reach its intended targets.

This study emphasizes the challenges faced by satellite constellations such as Starlink, as well as those in development like Amazon’s Project Kuiper and various projects in China, due to solar activity jeopardizing communication and potentially leading to drastic positional changes that could result in collisions with other satellites.

In February 2022, a significant solar storm caused 40 newly launched Starlink satellites to return to the atmosphere, where they incinerated. Recent studies have also indicated that heightened solar activity is accelerating the decline of certain Starlink satellites.

The May 2024 solar storm was roughly three times weaker than the Carrington event of 1859—the strongest solar storm on record. Such records are likely to be repeated, potentially creating significant challenges for satellite operators. “If an exceptionally strong storm occurs, the situation will worsen,” Abdu Jyoti said. “But the extent of that worsening remains uncertain.”

For now, I hope to have adequate preparation time. The May 2024 storm happened at the peak of the sun’s 22-year activity cycle. A powerful storm could strike at any moment, with a higher likelihood expected in the 2040s when solar activity intensifies again. By that time, it’s anticipated that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, more satellites will be in orbit compared to the current approximate count of 13,000. “The more satellites you have, the greater the issue,” stated Scott Shambaugh, founder of Leonid Space, a US company tracking the impact of space weather on satellites.

“Currently, we lack reliable predictive models to assess how solar storms impact drag over short timescales,” Shambaugh explained. “Consequently, satellites may not be where anticipated for hours or days following a storm.”

Matthew Owens identified another area needing further understanding: substorms—minor fluctuations in the atmosphere caused by solar heating that disproportionately affect satellites in varied orbits, according to researchers from Britain’s University of Reading. “Geomagnetic storms consist of numerous substorms,” he noted, “but these are extraordinarily challenging to forecast.”

Satellite constellations like Starlink provide a unique perspective on this activity, effectively serving as a massive research network in orbit around Earth. “These satellites may very well be our first data probes for analyzing local variations in atmospheric drag,” Abdu Jyoti concluded.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Inactive NASA Satellites Emit Surprisingly Strong Radio Pulses

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Illustration of NASA’s Relay 1 satellite, in front of Relay 2

NASA

A long-dormant satellite unexpectedly emitted a powerful radio pulse, momentarily surpassing all other celestial signals. Astronomers speculate that this flash may have resulted from a rare micrometeoroid impact or a spontaneous discharge.

NASA’s Relay 2 satellite was among the earliest operational satellites, launched as an experimental communications tool in 1964. Its use was discontinued the following year, and by 1967, the satellite’s electronic components had ceased functioning, leaving its metal frame orbiting indefinitely.

So Clancy James from Curtin University in Australia and his team were puzzled nearly 60 years later when they detected a burst of short, intense radio waves emanating from the satellite’s suspected location.

Utilizing the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), an array of 36 telescopes in Western Australia, James and his colleagues were searching the sky for signs of a mysterious radiation pulse from other galaxies.

On June 13th, they received a signal that seemed to originate from within our galaxy. “If it’s in close proximity, studying it through an optical telescope becomes quite feasible, so I was thrilled at the prospect of discovering a new pulsar or some other object,” Clancy remarks.

However, upon closer examination, the signal appeared to be quite close to Earth, which meant that ASKAP couldn’t focus on everything simultaneously. This indicated the source was likely within 20,000 kilometers of our planet, according to Clancy. The signal was notably short-lived, lasting less than 30 nanoseconds. “It was an exceptionally potent radio pulse that briefly outshone everything else in the sky,” Clancy explains.

When they traced the signal back to its source and compared it to known satellite positions, they concluded the only plausible explanation was Relay 2. Since that satellite is inoperative, Clancy and his team suspect that the signals may result from external events such as electrostatic discharges or micrometeoroids striking the satellite, creating clouds of charged plasma.

“It’s quite challenging to differentiate between these two scenarios,” says Karen Aplin from the University of Bristol in the UK. This difficulty arises because the radio emissions from both phenomena appear comparable. Yet, monitoring future electrostatic discharges from satellites could prove beneficial, she adds. “In an environment filled with space debris and numerous smaller, cost-effective satellites that lack sufficient protection from electrostatic discharges, this radio detection could ultimately lead to innovative technologies for assessing such discharges in space,” she concludes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Starlink Satellites Emitting Radio Signals That May Disrupt Astronomy

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A new batch of Starlink satellites deployed via Falcon 9 Rocket

SpaceX

Astronomers have raised concerns that SpaceX’s Starlink satellites emit radio waves that may jeopardize their ability to observe and comprehend the early universe.

With thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit offering worldwide internet coverage, astronomers worry that radio emissions from these satellites could interfere with sensitive telescopes monitoring distant and faint radio waves. Although SpaceX has collaborated with astronomers to minimize this disruption by disabling transmission beams while passing over significant telescopes, these measures seem insufficient.

Steven Tingay from Curtin University, Australia, along with his team, is currently tracking signals from nearly 2,000 Starlink satellites using prototype telescopes at the Square Kilometer Array-low Observatory (SKA-low). This future network of over 100,000 interconnected telescopes is designed to investigate the early universe, but researchers have found that Starlink signals could jeopardize their goals by affecting a third of the data gathered at numerous frequencies.

Additionally, they found that the satellites transmit signals in two frequency bands protected for radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which should not be utilized for Starlink transmissions. Yet, these satellite emissions are deemed unintentional. The leaked signals are 10,000 times stronger than the faint radio emissions from the neutral hydrogen clouds that existed when the first stars began to form, and which astronomers wish to study to decode the early universe.

“The signal strength from these unintended emissions can rival some of the brightest natural radio sources in the sky,” Tingay explains. “It’s akin to taking the strongest sauces in the sky, adding even more artificial ones, and causing significant interference, especially in experiments that target super sensitivity.”

Tingay suggests that the emissions likely arise from onboard electronics inadvertently transmitting signals through satellite antennas. He notes that while such leaks are not technically illegal, as ITU regulations only cover intentional emissions, the discourse about how to regulate these types of emissions is starting at the ITU, which has withheld comment.

Dylan Grigg, another researcher from Curtin University, emphasizes, “The optimal approach to mitigate these unintended emissions is for satellites to either reduce or eliminate them. From the operator’s perspective, it’s beneficial that there are existing mitigation strategies in satellites, which SpaceX has already implemented for optical astronomy.” Starlink has adjusted its satellites to minimize light reflection to reduce visual interference.

A spokesperson for SKA-LOW remarked, “These findings align with our previous studies, but additional research is necessary to fully grasp the impact on low-frequency observations.”

Grigg and Tingay have shared their findings with SpaceX, stating that the company is open to discussions on strategies to decrease emissions. SpaceX has not commented on the matter.

If SpaceX cannot devise a solution, researchers may need to introduce algorithmic strategies to filter out contaminated radio waves. However, Tingay pointed out that such methods are still in their early development phases and might require more computational resources than are currently needed for basic processing of the astronomical signals of interest.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Amazon Unveils Kuiper Internet Satellites: Key Insights You Need to Have

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The competition in space between billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk is poised to expand into satellite internet.

Originally launched as an online bookstore three decades ago, Amazon has evolved into a merchandising powerhouse, owning the James Bond franchise and retailing electronics like the Echo smart speaker, along with being a leading provider of cloud computing services.

Thus, it’s no surprise that Amazon is rolling out the first batch of thousands of satellites under Project Kuiper, designed to provide connectivity in our modern world. The high-speed internet market from space is largely dominated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which offers a similar service. Starlink boasts a vast fleet of satellites and regularly conducts launches, serving millions globally.

The initial attempt to launch a satellite on April 9 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions at the launch site. The company is set to make another attempt this coming Monday.

The first 27 Project Kuiper satellites are scheduled for launch on Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, between 7 PM and 9 PM Eastern Time. They will be lifted aboard the Atlas V rocket, developed by the United Launch Alliance—a collaboration between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

ULA plans to provide live coverage starting at 6:35 PM; the company reports a 70% chance of an on-time launch.

The rocket will place the Kuiper satellites into a circular orbit approximately 280 miles above Earth. The satellites’ propulsion systems will gradually elevate them to an orbit of 393 miles.

Project Kuiper comprises a network of internet satellites designed to deliver high-speed data connections to nearly every location on Earth. To achieve this, thousands of satellites are necessary, with Amazon aiming to deploy over 3,200 within the next few years.

The project competes with SpaceX’s Starlink, which primarily caters to residential customers.

Kuiper aims to target remote areas while also integrating with Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing solution that is highly valued by large enterprises and governments worldwide. This could make it particularly appealing for businesses needing satellite imagery and weather forecasts to carry out data processing, alongside the capacity to transfer large volumes of data over the internet.

Ground stations will link the Kuiper satellites to the service infrastructure, allowing businesses to interact with their own remote devices. For instance, Amazon indicates that energy firms could leverage Kuiper to monitor and manage remote wind farms and offshore drilling operations.

In October 2023, two prototype Kuiper satellites were launched for technology testing. Amazon stated that the tests were successful, but these prototypes were not intended for long-term operational constellations; after seven months, they re-entered the atmosphere. The company noted that they have since refined the design of all systems and subsystems.

“There’s a significant difference between launching two satellites and launching 3,000 satellites,” remarked Rajeev Badyal, an Amazon executive overseeing Kuiper, in a promotional video ahead of the launch.

Amazon informed the Federal Communications Commission in 2020 that the service would commence after the deployment of the initial 578 satellites. The company anticipates that customers will be able to access the internet later this year.

While a fully operational constellation requires thousands of satellites, it is feasible for the company to serve certain areas with fewer satellites initially, expanding to broader global coverage later.

The FCC’s approval for the constellation stipulates that at least half of the satellites must be launched by July 30, 2026. Industry experts suggest that if significant progress is shown by that deadline, the company could be granted an extension.

Launching a satellite also relies on the timely availability of rockets, which can present challenges if there aren’t enough launches lined up. Additionally, Amazon must construct numerous ground stations to relay signals to users.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Do the upcoming Kuiper Satellites pose competition to Musk’s Starlink on Amazon?

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The United Launch Alliance plans to send 27 Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit as Amazon begins full-scale deployment of its satellite internet network

Amazon

Kuiper, Amazon’s satellite internet division, plans to launch 27 satellites into orbit today. We dig into the situation.

What is Kuiper?

In short, Kuiper is a network of thousands of satellites with beams of internet traffic around the world. This allows people in remote areas to access the internet without the need for local infrastructure.

This idea is exactly the same as Starlink, a SpaceX-owned company that already offers such services under Elon Musk’s leadership. Project Kuiper is a subsidiary of Amazon, founded in 2019 and owned by another billionaire, Jeff Bezos.

Amazon didn’t respond The new scientistsInterview requests, but the company has said that before The satellite travels at speeds of over 27,000 km/h Circle the earth about every 90 minutes. Customers need to connect to the internet I’m buying a small device Attach it to the roof of the building.

When will it start? How can I see it?

Kuiper calls this first mission KA-01 for Kuiper Atlas 1. Scheduled for 7pm EDT on April 9th.

The satellite is carried into orbit by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Amazon says it will be the heaviest payload ever released in this craft.

United Launch Alliance plans to live stream flights on that websitestarts 20 minutes before startup.

Is this the first release of Kuiper?

Kuiper put two prototype satellites into orbit in October 2023, which is the first release of the final version, and the company has said it is a “significant upgrade.”

It has better solar panels, propulsion systems and communications equipment, but astronomers appreciate it being a dielectric mirror film coating designed to scatter reflected sunlight. Other companies have launched reflective satellites that have serious impact on imaging. Astronomers say it is “truly an existential issue of astronomy.”

Who’s ahead, Starlink or Kuiper?

starlink. In a pretty good way.

Kuiper has been granted permission from the US Federal Communications Commission to operate 3,236 satellites, and will only start renting internet connections to users after the 578 satellites are launched, the company says.

So, if the launch today is successful, the company still has 551 satellites to send into space before generating revenue.

The company says it has secured more than 80 launches at various companies to deploy additional satellites. Ironically, some launches are handled by SpaceX.

Meanwhile, SpaceX began launching satellites in 2019. It says there are over 6,750 satellites in the orbit.serving millions of customers. The company is also developing a military satellite network called StarShield. It reportedly has a contract with the US government..

Can Kuiper catch up?

Certainly there are many reasons to compensate. Starlink’s lead is big and has the obvious advantage of being owned by a rocket launcher.

Although it is not owned by Amazon, Bezos now has Space Company Blue Origin at your disposal. It helps to fill the gap.

In other areas, Amazon may have advantages. Already there are hundreds of millions of users who shop and stream regularly on the site and may try to add satellite internet through various transactions and seductions.

Plus, there is a market as hundreds of millions of people around the world lack reliable internet connections. Only time can tell if it’s big enough to maintain two major competing satellite operators, let alone small players like partially UK-owned OneWeb.

Some companies are also working on unfiltered solar aircraft that can loiter in high atmospheres for months at a time, potentially reducing satellites at cost.

However, one thing is clear. It certainly is a boon for consumers to bring their competitors to the market.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Introducing Amazon’s Groundbreaking Project: Kuiper Internet Satellites

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The billionaire battle in space between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk has entered a new arena, the satellite internet.

Started as an online bookstore 30 years ago, Amazon is Merchandising Behemoth, the owner of the James Bond franchise, and is a seller of electronic gadgets like the echo smart speaker and one of the most powerful providers of cloud computing.

So it’s not surprising that Amazon is launching the first few of the thousands of satellites known as Project Kuiper, offering another option to keep them connected in the modern world. The marketplace that brings high-speed internet from orbit to the ground is now dominated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX Rocket Company, which operates similar services. Starlink has thousands of satellites in orbit and has more launches almost every week, and Starlink already serves millions of customers around the world.

The first 27 projects Kuiper Satellites are scheduled to lift from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7pm Eastern time on Wednesday.

They fly on Atlas V, a rocket created by the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. ULA plans to do it Provides live coverage From 6:35pm

The forecast only predicts 20% of the chances that winds and showers from coastal storms are likely to cause potential problems. However, there is a two-hour window where the load of propellant on the rocket begins and the launch may occur.

The spacecraft deploys the Kuiper satellite in a circular orbit 280 miles above the surface. The satellite’s propulsion system gradually raises its orbit to an altitude of 393 miles.

Project Kuiper is the constellations of Internet satellites aimed at providing high-speed data connections to almost every point on Earth. To make this a success, you’ll need thousands of satellites. Amazon’s goal is to operate more than 3,200 over the next few years.

The company competes with SpaceX’s StarLink, which was originally sold primarily to residential customers.

Kuiper aims to make its market, especially remote locations, but will also be integrated with Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing product popular with large companies and governments around the world. This could make it more attractive for businesses with satellite images and weather forecasts that need to perform data calculations, as well as moving large amounts of data throughout the Internet.

Ground stations connect Kuiper satellites to the web service infrastructure in a way that allows businesses to communicate with their own remote devices. For example, Amazon suggests that energy companies can use Kuiper to monitor and control remote wind farms and offshore drilling platforms.

In October 2023, two prototype Kuiper satellites were launched and the technology was tested. Amazon said the test was successful. These prototypes were not intended to be useful in operational constellations, and after seven months they returned to a burnt-out atmosphere. company I said Since then, we have updated the design of “subsystems on all systems and subsystems.”

“There’s a huge difference between launching two satellites and launching 3,000 satellites,” said Rajeev Badyal, Amazon executive who works for Kuiper, in a promotional video before its launch.

Amazon told the Federal Communications Commission in 2020 that the service would start after deploying the first 578 satellites. The company says it expects customers to connect to the internet later this year.

A fully functional constellations require thousands of satellites, but the company is able to serve in certain regions with far fewer orbits before expanding into later, more global coverage.

The approval of the FCC constellations required that at least half of the satellites be deployed by July 30, 2026. Industry analysts say if they show significant progress by then, the company can get an extension.

Putting a satellite into orbit also depends on the launch of the rocket that occurs on a schedule. This can be a problem if sufficient rockets are not available. Amazon also needs to build hundreds of ground stations to relay signals to users.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Astronomers express worries over deployment of five new high-luminosity satellites

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AST SpaceMobile satellite illustration

AST Space Mobile

Five more are due to join the unusually reflective prototype satellites later this week, which shine brighter than nearly any star in the sky. Astronomers warn that an increasing number of bright objects in the night sky could seriously hinder their research and even limit their ability to spot asteroids heading toward Earth.

Texas-based AST SpaceMobile launched the first Blue Walker 3 satellite in 2022, but it drew immediate criticism from astronomers who discovered that the satellite was brighter than all but seven stars in the night sky.

AST SpaceMobile plans to launch a total constellation of around 100 satellites to provide mobile phone connectivity around the world. The satellites’ unusual reflectivity — much higher than most communications satellites — comes from the fact that they are equipped with a 64-square-meter reflector antenna that inadvertently acts like a mirror for visible light.

The company press release The company was scheduled to launch its first five commercial satellites, called Bluebirds, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 12. The company said last year that it was exploring options to reduce its impact on astronomy, but did not respond to a request for an interview. New Scientist About the latest release.

Grant Tremblay The growing constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit “is really an existential issue for astronomy,” said the researcher at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts, who is also vice president of the American Astronomical Society. AST SpaceMobile is a concern for astronomers because of its incredibly reflective design, but it’s by no means the only one, he said. Internet company Starlink is another company whose satellites are causing concern.

“In astronomy, things are clearly getting worse,” Tremblay said. “I worry that we’re in danger of losing the sky.”

Tremblay said projects such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, under construction in Chile and set to begin observing the sky in 2025, would see bright streaks marring images as the satellite crosses the field of view.

“If a frame is contaminated by, say, a Starlink flight, it becomes useless; it has to be thrown away,” he says. “The observatories will continue to function; great science will continue to be done. But as we start heading towards a regime with hundreds or thousands of reflective satellites of this size or larger in orbit, efficiency can fall off exponentially. We’re entering a completely unsustainable regime with no regulatory structure whatsoever.”

Tremblay sees this as a loss not just for science, but for the wider society: “We have got back this incredibly magical image of the universe on an unimaginable scale. There’s something about it that brings people together and inspires them. If we were to lose that, I think it would be a social catastrophe.”

To solve the problem, astronomers may need to place more telescopes in space beyond crowded orbits, but the cost and complexity of doing that makes that impossible in most cases, he says.

Some warn that losing our astronomical capabilities could put humanity at risk. Ian Carneri Researchers at the European Space Agency say that projects like NASA’s DART spacecraft have improved our ability over the decades to spot Earth-bound asteroids and divert them. “In the future, asteroids may become harder to find,” they say. [because of reflective satellite constellations]”That’s true,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Why the potential hacking of satellites in orbit is a major cause for concern

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Picture this: a hacker sitting at their laptop, frantically typing code as it flashes across the screen. Suddenly, they successfully hack into a satellite. Sounds like a scene from a James Bond movie, doesn’t it? But in reality, it poses a real threat.

Contrary to the dramatic portrayal in movies, hacking a satellite is much more complex than simply having a laptop and a strong internet connection. The issue of cybersecurity in space is becoming increasingly concerning as the number of operational satellites continues to grow.

By the end of 2022, there were 6,718 operational satellites orbiting the Earth, representing a significant increase from the previous year. With 10,206 objects in space, predominantly satellites, the space environment is rapidly expanding.

Satellites play crucial roles in GPS navigation, military surveillance, and banking systems, making them attractive targets for potential hackers. But despite their vulnerability, instances of successful hacks on satellites are rare. So, how can a satellite be hacked, and what are the potential consequences?

How can a satellite be hacked?

While space may seem like a distant realm filled with satellites in remote galaxies, most satellites actually orbit in low earth orbit (LEO), between 99 and 1,243 miles above Earth. Physically accessing a satellite remains a challenge, but there are various methods hackers can employ to compromise satellites without venturing into space.

According to Anuradha Dhamal Dey, a SpaceX space ecosystem manager at Satellite Applications Catapult, potential satellite hacking methods include physical attacks, cyber attacks, and the use of kinetic anti-satellite (ASAT) technology. These methods have raised concerns about the security of space-based systems.

ASAT refers to any means of destroying a satellite, with kinetic ASAT involving physical strikes on satellites, such as through ballistic missiles or drones. While kinetic ASAT attacks are unprecedented outside of testing scenarios, non-kinetic attacks using malware or viruses pose a theoretical threat to satellite security.

Despite these risks, no actual satellite hacks have occurred yet. In 2023, the US Air Force organized Hack the Sat event to test satellite vulnerabilities, with three teams successfully breaching a satellite’s security.

What will happen?

While satellite hacking remains theoretical, the potential consequences of a successful attack are significant. Space plays a vital role in various industries, from national security and defense to everyday services like food delivery and entertainment.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

What is the maximum number of satellites and moons that could fit in Earth’s orbit?

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Dead Planets Society is a podcast that takes some crazy ideas for how to tinker with the universe and tests their effects against the laws of physics, from snapping the moon in half to causing doomsday events with gravitational waves. apple, Spotify or our Podcast Page.

One moon isn’t enough. While Earth only has one moon, other planets have many. Jupiter has 95 moons, putting its shining cosmic partner to shame with only one. In this episode of Dead Planets Society, we try to light up the night sky with as many moons as possible.

But it’s not as simple as just throwing a bunch of rocks into orbit. So in this episode, hosts Leah Crain and Chelsea White Shawn Raymond We asked a researcher from the University of Bordeaux in France for help with the details, who suggests we could build a ring of 10 moons, each of which would orbit Earth in different phases, causing strange little eclipses as they orbited the planet.

And it’s not just the moon. In 2018, Raymond and Juna Kollmeyer Researchers at the Carnegie Observatories in California have found that it’s theoretically possible for Earth’s moon to have its own orbital satellite, known as a lunar lunar. Such a satellite might not be stable due to the presence of a gravitational anomaly on the moon, so our host has been adding a giant hand blender to his space tool belt to try and smooth things over. If things get sorted, we could have a lunar lunar, or even a lunar lunar, lighting up the night sky.

The moon is bright because it reflects sunlight, and these new moons could be the perfect place to line up giant solar panels, unobstructed by the atmosphere and clouds that plague Earth’s surface. And because the moon is so bright, it would probably be impossible to see the stars from Earth’s surface, but in relatively small detail.

An even bigger problem is that the more complex and crowded the orbit, the greater the risk of these moons colliding with each other, which could give Earth beautiful rings like Saturn, but could also destroy life on Earth.

Dead Planets Society is a fun and subversive podcast about space. New ScientistIn each episode, hosts Leah Crain and Chelsea White explore what would happen if we were given cosmic powers to rearrange the universe. They speak to astronomers, cosmologists and geologists to find out what would happen if we ripped a hole in a planet, unified the asteroid belt or destroyed the sun. Dead Planets Society Season 2 continues with apple, Spotifyor our Podcast Page.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NASA to Send Wooden Satellites Into Space for Innovative Research Purposes

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In 1957, the first man-made object was successfully launched into space and into orbit around the Earth. This was Sputnik 1, a beautifully simple Soviet spherical satellite with only four antennae.

But this historic event also marked the beginning of another, more disturbing one. It means that humans left the first space debris in orbit around the Earth.

Part of the 267-ton, 30-meter-tall rocket that launched Sputnik also became stuck in orbit. Suddenly, the world was faced with a problem we didn’t know we needed to solve: outer space littering.

Thankfully, Sputnik and the rocket debris it left behind deorbited shortly after launch and burned up in the atmosphere. However, this was not always the case. Just 66 years of space exploration has left vast amounts of detritus in orbit around Earth.

Now, NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are considering ideas to help solve this problem. The idea is to build a satellite out of wood, a widely available biodegradable material.

Space junk is currently a problem

The problems that government agencies are trying to address are big and complex, and they need to know how big the first phase of the project was. At least 130 million pieces of man-made debris are known to be orbiting the Earth, most of them flying at speeds of more than 7 kilometers per second. This is eight times faster than a normal bullet. But while this is a staggering number, some scientists believe it is a conservative estimate.

Most objects sent into space remain in space until either they deorbit and burn up on re-entry, or they are pulled away from Earth into graveyard orbits, where they orbit for hundreds of years. The majority of such objects are actually very small, less than 1 cm in diameter, from paint chips to small pieces of electronic equipment to pieces of insulation foam and aluminum.

Such tiny pieces cannot be seen from Earth, even with powerful telescopes. Therefore, we need to look for evidence left behind when it collides with other objects in space. This is no easy task.

Work to assess the scope of the problem began in earnest after five extraordinary objects, the NASA Space Shuttles, repeatedly orbited and returned. Since 1981, NASA has launched a total of 135 shuttle missions.

After each shuttle returned to Earth, it was evaluated using a fine-tooth comb to identify damage caused by orbital debris. This gives NASA a clearer picture of the problem of small pieces of dead satellites flying through space.

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NASA scientists have discovered exactly what they expected: small pieces of debris just a few millimeters in diameter can cause small but powerful impacts. NASA also produced the first estimates of how degraded the debris environment is.

Prior to 1978, NASA scientists Don Kessler and Barton Coolpare had proposed a scenario they named Kessler syndrome. The phenomenon they discussed is a catastrophic event in which when a satellite is shattered by space debris, the resulting debris destroys more satellites, creating even more debris, repeating an endless chain of events. It is a chain of

Obviously, this is a big problem. So how can we slow down the rate of debris formation or eliminate it altogether? Proposed solutions include using radiation hardening to reach space within five years of launch. It involves taking the ship out of orbit.

materials (designed to be less susceptible to damage from exposure to the high levels of radiation and extreme temperatures experienced in space) and launches on reusable rockets.

Incorporate the idea of ​​a wooden satellite. LignoSat, the name of the NASA and JAXA project, is a coffee machine built using traditional Japanese joinery techniques that houses electronics and other materials needed for space missions, much like today's CubeSats. It is a cup-sized (approximately 10x10x10cm) wooden box.

Wood samples were tested for suitability over 290 days in 2022 on the International Space Station's Kibo Japanese Experiment Module.

Magnolia coped well and performed best when exposed to intense cosmic rays and extreme temperature changes in its harsh environment. It does not burn, rot, crack, or deform, and has the important property that upon re-entry into the atmosphere, it burns up to a fine ash, leaving behind small fragments.

Lignosat prototype.Photo provided by: Kyoto University

Another advantage of wooden satellites is their reflectivity, or rather their lack of reflectivity. Currently, reflections from aluminum satellites are so bright that they can be easily spotted from Earth with the naked eye. Importantly, this reflected light can reach sensitive areas and interfere with astronomical observations.

LignoSat test launch is currently scheduled for 2024. Success could pave the way for further missions.

So will all satellites be made of wood in the near future? Unfortunately, that is unlikely. On the plus side, projects like this encourage researchers to think outside the box and can have a greater impact in the future. If LignoSat is successful, more research groups may try to introduce biodegradable materials to reduce further debris generation.

But for now, I strongly support efforts to actively track as many objects in Earth orbit as possible to reduce future collisions with matter in space.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com