Astronomers worry that the recently launched BlueWalker 3 satellite will shine brighter than anything visible in the night sky except the moon. The satellite antenna is four times larger than the De Nachtwacht and provides a telephone with internet.

The large satellite, launched on the night of Saturday, September 10 through Sunday, September 11, could be brighter than any other object in the night sky except the moon. This raises concerns about the implications for astronomy.

BlueWalker 3 satellite, built by AST SpaceMobile in Texas, USA, last weekend on a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX sent to space. AST SpaceMobile designed the satellites to test technologies that allow satellites to make cellular connections, such as 4G or 5G internet. The signal is then sent directly from the satellite to the phone and back, giving the user coverage even in remote places.

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Large surface

The satellite orbits around the earth at an altitude of 500 kilometers and weighs 1500 kilograms. In addition, the antenna is 8 meters wide with a surface area of ​​64 square meters – about four times the size of De Nachtwacht. This large flat surface reflects a lot of sunlight, which can make the satellite very bright and therefore visible to observers on Earth.

This type of satellite can cause bright streaks in images from ground-based telescopes, which would render the instrument useless for observing distant objects. “We are worried,” said John Barentine, astronomer at Dark Sky Consulting in Arizona, United States. “It could be the brightest object in the night sky, possibly brighter than the planet Venus.”

Strong light

Barentine said there were also concerns about strong radio waves allowing direct connections to cell phones. That could interfere with radio astronomy, which uses highly sensitive instruments to observe the universe. “We are concerned about the amount of energy in that radiation,” he said. AST SpaceMobile did not respond to a request for comment.

Where this is still a single satellite, AST SpaceMobile plans to launch more than a hundred larger satellites starting next year. Perhaps twice the size of BlueWalker 3, these ‘BlueBirds’ can appear brighter in the sky. “The brighter these objects are, the more damage they will cause to the night sky image,” said Barentine.

Chris Johnson, a space legal adviser at the Secure World Foundation in the United States, said there are currently no limits in international law on the size of satellites. However, he believes this launch could highlight the shortcomings of existing regulations. “I would absolutely consider this a violation of astronomers’ right to explore space,” he said.

New connection

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has issued an experimental license for BlueWalker 3. Whether future satellites from AST SpaceMobile receive full license may depend on the performance and impact of BlueWalker 3. “The FCC seems willing to see how it goes. Go and decide. later full permission,” said Farrar team, a satellite communications consultant in the UK. The FCC declined a request for comment.

AST SpaceMobile is one of many companies working on the so-called direct to mobileservice. However, it is the only broadband internet provider from outer space. SpaceX recently announced a larger version of its Starlink satellite, which can provide telephony in remote places with a simple cellular connection. In addition, Apple announced that it is partnering with satellite company Globalstar to provide iPhone emergency message via satellite to allow.

“Most astronomers don’t mind the fact that there will be more satellites in the future,” Barentine said. “What they want is to be able to exist side by side. We can’t make the satellite invisible.’