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Small satellites, easy access to orbit
There are two main reasons for this exponential growth. First, it has never been easier to send a satellite into space. For example, on August 29, 2021, a SpaceX rocket transported several satellites – including one built by my students – to the International Space Station. On October 11, 2021, these satellites will deploy into orbit and the number of satellites will increase again.
The second reason is that rockets can carry more satellites more easily – and at lower cost – than ever before. This increase is not due to the fact that rockets are getting more powerful. On the contrary, satellites have become smaller thanks to the electronic revolution. The vast majority – 94% – of all spacecraft launched in 2020 were small satellites – satellites weighing less than about 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms).
The majority of these satellites are used for Earth observation or for communications and the Internet. In an effort to bring the internet to underserved areas of the world, two private companies, Starlink by SpaceX and OneWeb, have jointly launched nearly 1,000 small satellites in 2020 alone. They each plan to launch more than 40,000 satellites. in the coming years to create what are called “mega-constellations” in low Earth orbit.
Several other companies are eyeing this $ 1 trillion market, including Amazon with its Kuiper project.
Large satellite constellations – like SpaceX’s Starlink, seen in the video above – are expected to dramatically increase the number of objects orbiting Earth and are already causing problems.
A crowded sky
With the enormous growth of satellites, fears of a crowded sky are starting to come true. A day after SpaceX launched its first 60 Starlink satellites, astronomers began to see them block the stars. While the impact on visible astronomy is easy to understand, radio astronomers fear losing 70% of sensitivity in certain frequencies due to interference from satellite mega-stellations like Starlink.
Experts studied and discussed the potential problems posed by these constellations and the means by which satellite companies could solve them. These include reducing the number and brightness of satellites, sharing their location, and supporting better image processing software.
As low Earth orbit becomes congested, concerns about space debris increase, as does the real possibility of collisions.
Future trends
Less than 10 years ago, the democratization of space was a goal to be achieved. Now, with student projects on the Space Station and over 105 countries with at least one satellite in space, it could be argued that this goal is within reach.
Every disruptive technological advance requires updating the rules – or creating new ones. SpaceX has tested ways to reduce the impact of the Starlink constellations, and Amazon has announced plans to deorbit its satellites within 355 days of the mission’s end. These and other actions by different stakeholders give me hope that trade, science and human efforts will find lasting solutions to this potential crisis.
This story was originally published with The conversation. Read the original here.
