Unbelievable! Texas Startup Launches Giant Satellites — Brightness Outshines Several Visible Stars in the Sky

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 16/09/2024 at 07:01

Updated on 16/09/2024 at 07:02

Foto: Reprodução

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A Texas Startup Is Shocking The World With The Launch Of Giant Satellites, And Signs Indicate That The Worst Is Yet To Come. Learn How These Launches Can Impact Space And Earth

A startup from Texas is revolutionizing the space industry with the launch of communication satellites of unprecedented sizes, generating controversy among astronomers and experts.

AST SpaceMobile recently launched five satellites called BlueBirds aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites impress with their size: when deployed, they feature a communication array of 64 square meters, the largest ever deployed in low Earth orbit.

The company is not only expanding its technological capabilities but also attempting to create the first broadband cellular network accessible directly from mobile phones, regardless of where users are located.

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Many Concerns About The Project

However, the technical success of AST SpaceMobile comes with concerns. The BlueBirds satellites have a significant impact on space observation. The prototype, BlueWalker 3, launched in September 2022, caught attention not only for its size but also for its brightness, which obscures several visible stars in the sky.

In a study published in October 2023 in the journal Nature, astronomers reported that the brightness of BlueWalker 3 was comparable to that of stars like Procyon and Achernar, making it visible to the naked eye and interfering with astronomical observations.

The issue of satellite brightness lacks specific regulation, which intensifies concerns among scientists. And the situation may worsen. Avellan revealed that future satellites will be even larger, up to three and a half times the size of the current BlueBirds, which could exacerbate the problem of space light pollution.

AST SpaceMobile is not alone in this race to connect the world through space. Companies like SpaceX, Amazon, OneWeb, and Lynk Global are also launching satellite constellations.

SpaceX, for example, has already placed over 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. This technological race is rapidly changing the night sky landscape, turning star observation into an increasing challenge.

While innovation promises global connectivity and technological advances, the scientific community questions the long-term impacts. As more satellites are launched, the night sky — which has inspired civilizations for millennia — is beginning to be drastically altered by the artificial light of these new technologies. And the future promises to be even brighter, for better or worse.

Unbelievable! Texas Startup Launches Giant Satellites — Brightness Outshines Several Visible Stars in the Sky

A Texas Startup Is Shocking The World With The Launch Of Giant Satellites, And Signs Indicate That The Worst Is Yet To Come. Learn How These Launches Can Impact Space And Earth

Many Concerns About The Project

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Unbelievable! Texas Startup Launches Giant Satellites — Brightness Outshines Several Visible Stars in the Sky

A Texas Startup Is Shocking The World With The Launch Of Giant Satellites, And Signs Indicate That The Worst Is Yet To Come. Learn How These Launches Can Impact Space And Earth

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