Prof. Sam LawlerSep 18, 2024

Oh look, Starlink is continuing to screw up the sky in every way possible.

"Second-Generation Starlink Satellites Leak 30 Times More Radio Interference, Threatening Astronomical Observations"

https://www.astron.nl/starlink-satellites/

It's going to be "hilarious" when Starlink messes up the radio sky so badly that radio astronomers can't even use quasars to calibrate GPS anymore. There are so many consequences from all these stupid, cheaply built, disposable satellites. https://www.universetoday.com/105160/navigating-the-cosmos-by-quasar/

Second-Generation Starlink Satellites Leak 30 Times More Radio Interference, Threatening Astronomical Observations | ASTRON

Observations with the LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) radio telescope last year showed that first generation Starlink satellites emit unintended radio waves that can hinder astronomical observations.

ASTRON
Show threadathlete4Sep 18, 2024
@sundogplanets how is it possible that a private company allowed to do this? are there no international bodies responsible for regulating space projects?
Show threadQuark MakerSep 18, 2024

@athlete4 @sundogplanets Back during the era when the international community was writing the Outer Space Treaty and other laws (the 1960s, that is) there was no concept of individuals building and launching their own rockets. As I understand it (someone here correct me if I'm wrong) the laws on the books pretty much just target nation states, not individuals.

Moreover, it's one thing to have a law; it's another thing entirely to be able to enforce it.

Show threadQuark MakerSep 18, 2024
@athlete4 @sundogplanets For example, no nation is allowed to claim any other celestial object, in whole or in part, as their own. Therefore, as an example, the Moon legally doesn't belong to anybody. However, if someone built and flew their own rockets and went to the Moon, started digging around, and built houses (metaphorically speaking) it's not like the U.S. or anyone else could stop them.
Show threadathlete4
@QuarkMaker @sundogplanets oh interesting, thanks for the insight!
Sep 18, 2024 at 3:16pmWeb