Astronomers have expressed concern that the view of the Universe could be compromised by the launch of thousands of new satellites, starting next week. The satellites, part of projects by companies including SpaceX, OneWeb and Amazon, aim to provide high-speed internet access from space but are already appearing as bright streaks in telescope images.
Dr Dave Clements, an astrophysicist from Imperial College London, described the situation as a 'tragedy of the commons', warning that the satellites could obscure observations of potentially hazardous asteroids and distant quasars. The first batches of SpaceX's Starlink constellation, which will eventually number up to 12,000 satellites, have already been spotted by stargazers.
Dhara Patel, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, noted that the satellites are highly reflective and also use radio waves, which could interfere with both optical and radio astronomy. The problem is expected to worsen as more satellites are launched, with Starlink planning 60 satellites every few weeks and OneWeb aiming for 650 to 2,000.
However, some experts believe the impact can be mitigated. Professor Martin Barstow from the University of Leicester argued that space is vast and the density of satellites will be low, allowing observatories to remove satellite trails from images. He acknowledged that radio astronomy could face greater challenges, particularly for new telescopes like the Square Kilometre Array.
The companies involved have stated they are working with astronomers to minimise the impact. The first major launch of Starlink satellites is expected next week, with up to 1,500 in orbit by the end of next year.
