Elon Musk’s Starlink is a parting project.
The satellite internet constellation aims to provide low-cost internet to remote locations, but it does produce some alarming side effects.
These are the biggest problems presented by the SpaceX network, from impaired vision to damage to the ozone layer.
Causing collision threats
SpaceX recently launched the 2,000th Starlink satellite into orbit.
The large number of these devices has aroused concern about collisions with other objects in space.
The affair caused a stir in China after the Tiangong space station reportedly had two near-hits involving the satellites.
“For security reasons, the China Space Station has carried out preventive collision-proof control,” Beijing said in a document submitted to the UN Office on Outer Space.
These concerns have been repeated by other organizations.
In August 2021, a leading expert on space debris said Space.com that Starlink satellites are involved in about 50% of close encounters between two spacecraft.
Moss rejected claims that the satellites take up too much space.
Damaging the climate
Starlink has already created a major light pollution. Scientists also fear that the satellites will add space debris and chemicals to the atmosphere.
The mega-constellations could change the chemistry of the upper atmosphere. Another issue involves the burning of aluminum from dead satellites.
Scientists said Space.com last June that this could have unexplored side effects on the ozone layer.
Damaging the night sky
SpaceX now owns more than half of all active satellites around the Earth are SpaceX satellites.
The high reflectivity of these devices fills the sky with artificial light.
According to simulations by a team of Canadian astrophysicists one of 15 light sources visible in the night sky will soon be satellites.
SpaceX has been working to reduce satellite reflectivity, but astronomers say it remains too bright.
In the near future, there may be no point on Earth from which we can look at the naked night sky.
Interference with astronomy
Starlink doesn’t just ruin views for the public. Astronomers fear that the satellites may make it difficult to spot asteroids near Earth.
One of their concerns is the large number of devices. Another involves the light streaks they produce, which can interrupt observations taken with telescopes.
According to new study, this glare appears in about a fifth of the images captured by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), which uses the images to spot asteroids. This disruption will only increase as the number of SpaceX satellites increases.
The thing is increased calls by space-based asteroid detection telescope.
We hate you #Starlink! (The Continuation)#Stop Starlink pic.twitter.com/tEpiRve2t1
– Dr. ASAS-SN * (@SuperASASSN) February 24, 2020
Elon may be concentrating on colonizing Mars, but his space projects are causing concern on Earth.
Source
Thomas Macaulay