TTB White LOGO TB
  • News
  • PC & Hardware
  • Mobiles
  • Gaming
  • Electronics
  • Gadget
  • Reviews
  • How To
Trending
Google Launches Hands-Free AI Chat in Search for Android, iOS
Snap Acquires Saturn: Social Calendar App for Students to Enhance Snapchat
AI at Risk? Anthropic Flags Industry-Wide Threat of Model Manipulation
Meta Courts Scale AI as Backup After Failed Perplexity Bid
How to Save PDFs and eBooks from Messages to Apple Books on Any Device
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025
The Tech BasicThe Tech Basic
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
  • PC & Hardware
  • Mobiles
  • Gaming
  • Electronics
  • Gadget
  • Reviews
  • How To
Follow US
Second generation starlink (1)
The Tech Basic > News > Second Generation Starlink Satellites Cause More Interference
News

Second Generation Starlink Satellites Cause More Interference

Evelyn Blake
Last updated: 19 September 2024 21:30
Evelyn Blake
Share
SHARE

Mega constellations like Starlink are a concern for scientists. They increase the risk of space debris and make it harder to observe the sky. This has been confirmed by a recent scientific study.

Contents
The Problem Has WorsenedSatellites Shine Brighter Than Stars

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

When the US space company SpaceX launched the first satellites for the Starlink internet service, there were complaints because the satellites appeared as bright dots in the sky. In response, SpaceX added sunshades to the satellites to reduce reflections.

Second generation starlink (1)

However, Starlink satellites do not only emit visible light; they also release low-frequency radio waves that can interfere with astronomical observations, as revealed last year.

The Problem Has Worsened

The second generation of Starlink satellites is now in orbit, and the issue has become more serious. The V2 mini satellites emit up to 32 times more electromagnetic leakage radiation (Unintended Electromagnetic Radiation, UEMR) than the first generation. This could blind radio telescopes and hinder astronomical research, according to the Dutch Institute for Radio Astronomy (Astron).

Astron monitored the satellites using the Low Frequency Array (Lofar), which is made up of many radio telescopes that combine their signals into one. Lofar consists of about 20,000 radio antennas spread across 52 locations in Europe. Using this telescope, astronomers recently discovered a jet of energy that spans 23 million light-years.

On July 19, 2024, researchers searched the sky twice for one hour each, looking for radio frequencies in the ranges of 10 to 88 MHz and 110 to 188 MHz. The team found Unintended Electromagnetic Radiation (UEMR) in almost all of the Starlink satellites they observed, covering both the first and second generations. The second generation emitted such high levels of UEMR that it might surpass internationally set limits for interference, according to the team led by Cees Bassa, as detailed in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Satellites Shine Brighter Than Stars

” In comparison to the faintest astrophysical sources detected by Lofar, the UEMR from Starlink satellites is 10 million times more intense. This difference is akin to comparing the dimmest stars visible to the naked eye with the brightness of the full moon.” Bassa said. The issue is made worse by the fact that SpaceX is launching about 40 new second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit each week.

The results indicate that stricter regulations on accidental radiation from satellites are needed to ensure ongoing radio astronomy observations. “Satellite companies have no interest in generating this accidental radiation, so minimizing it should be a priority in their sustainable space policy,” said Federico Di Vruno, who contributed to the study. He emphasized that Starlink is not the only company launching large numbers of satellites into low orbit.

The consequences of interference from satellites are becoming increasingly evident, according to the researchers. They are calling for cooperation among satellite companies, regulators, and the astronomy community to address this issue.

TAGGED:GoogleTwitter
Share This Article
Facebook Reddit Copy Link Print
Share
Evelyn Blake
By Evelyn Blake
Follow:
Evelyn Blake is an investor in technology and journalist who has been in the nascent space since 2014. Her love and passion for technological innovations made her delve deeper into the world of technology evolution. As a journalist, Evelyn has been covering latest trends and emerging gadgetries. She is a philanthropist and human rights activist.

Let's Connect

FacebookLike
XFollow
PinterestPin
InstagramFollow
Google NewsFollow
FlipboardFollow

Popular Posts

Engadget

Google Launches Hands-Free AI Chat in Search for Android, iOS

Salman Akhtar
SnapChat

Snap Acquires Saturn: Social Calendar App for Students to Enhance Snapchat

Salman Akhtar
Anthropic

AI at Risk? Anthropic Flags Industry-Wide Threat of Model Manipulation

Salman Akhtar
Meta

Meta Courts Scale AI as Backup After Failed Perplexity Bid

Salman Akhtar

You Might Also Like

Google Gemini
News

Google Gemini Faces Backlash as Pokémon Panic Exposes Weaknesses

Google
News

Hear Your Results: Google Tests Voice Summaries for Search

MARCA
News

Android Instant Apps Shut Down: Why Google’s Big Bet Failed

Google
News

Google Fixes Account Security Hole That Enabled Phone Number Harvesting

Social Networks

Facebook-f Twitter Instagram Pinterest Rss

Company

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Contact Us

Policies

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
Latest
Meta’s Next Smart Glasses Feature Oakley Design and 3K Recording
TikTok’s Legal Limbo: Trump’s Third Extension Defies Supreme Court Ruling
Adobe’s Latest Camera App Brings Smart Photography to Your iPhone
Punch-Hole Camera, Under-Screen Face ID Still Expected With iPhone 18 Pro
Microsoft Password Deletion: Act Now Before August Deadline

© 2024 The Tech Basic INC. 700 – 2 Park Avenue New York, NY.

TTB White LOGO TB
Follow US
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?