Parallel sessions
Sessions
Satellite megaconstellations: the challenge for astronomy
Satellites
Optical and radio astronomers have serious concerns about the impact of satellite megaconstellations on our science. This session will explore their effect on observational astronomy, mitigation measures and a potential regulatory response.
Licences are in place to allow the launch of at least 100,000 satellites into Low Earth Orbit by 2025. As a comparison, before 2019, there were around 2,000 operational satellites in LEO. The ongoing and planned deployments of satellites by multiple companies in different nations represent a paradigm shift in the extent of the commercial use of space.
Without any mitigation in place this will inevitably have a serious impact on observational astronomy, in the form of trails in optical images, and in signals transmitted to Earth that interfere with radio observatories. Working groups in the UK and around the world have sought to assess and consider options for mitigation through observations, modelling, image processing software and dialogue with satellite manufacturers (SpaceX, OneWeb and now AST). However, it seems unlikely that the impact can be completely eliminated.
The purchase of OneWeb by a consortium including the UK government gives us a particular responsibility and opportunity too, to use our influence to shape the design of that system
In the session we will encourage contributors to present abstracts on the different aspects of satellite megaconstellations, from academia and industry. We expect to hear from scientists at all career stages, and from geographically diverse settings.
The organisers will also work to ensure the broadest diversity of speakers. Given the global impact of megaconstellations, we note that this is by no means a ‘first world problem’, and it could for example have particularly serious effects on facilities like the Square Kilometer Array with its sites in sub-Saharan Africa.
Schedule:
Session 1
09:00 Robert Massey “Satellite megaconstellations: the RAS working groups”
09:20 Stuart Eves “Mega-Constellations ‚Äì The Satellite Designer‚Äôs Perspective”
09:40 Olga Zamora “Is OneWeb a threat to astronomy?”
10:00 Sandor Kruk “The impact of satellites on Hubble Space Telescope observations”
Session 2
13:00 Robert Watson “Simulations and observations of satellites with e-MERLIN”
13:20 Andy Lawrence “The New Space Age: a broader perspective”
13:40 Andrew Williams “Is Astronomy a Space Activity? Searching for policy options to protect astronomy in the satellite megaconstellation era”
14:00 Constance Walker “Toward Implementing Mitigations to Minimize the Impact of Satellite Constellations on Astronomy”
Licences are in place to allow the launch of at least 100,000 satellites into Low Earth Orbit by 2025. As a comparison, before 2019, there were around 2,000 operational satellites in LEO. The ongoing and planned deployments of satellites by multiple companies in different nations represent a paradigm shift in the extent of the commercial use of space.
Without any mitigation in place this will inevitably have a serious impact on observational astronomy, in the form of trails in optical images, and in signals transmitted to Earth that interfere with radio observatories. Working groups in the UK and around the world have sought to assess and consider options for mitigation through observations, modelling, image processing software and dialogue with satellite manufacturers (SpaceX, OneWeb and now AST). However, it seems unlikely that the impact can be completely eliminated.
The purchase of OneWeb by a consortium including the UK government gives us a particular responsibility and opportunity too, to use our influence to shape the design of that system
In the session we will encourage contributors to present abstracts on the different aspects of satellite megaconstellations, from academia and industry. We expect to hear from scientists at all career stages, and from geographically diverse settings.
The organisers will also work to ensure the broadest diversity of speakers. Given the global impact of megaconstellations, we note that this is by no means a ‘first world problem’, and it could for example have particularly serious effects on facilities like the Square Kilometer Array with its sites in sub-Saharan Africa.
Schedule:
Session 1
09:00 Robert Massey “Satellite megaconstellations: the RAS working groups”
09:20 Stuart Eves “Mega-Constellations ‚Äì The Satellite Designer‚Äôs Perspective”
09:40 Olga Zamora “Is OneWeb a threat to astronomy?”
10:00 Sandor Kruk “The impact of satellites on Hubble Space Telescope observations”
Session 2
13:00 Robert Watson “Simulations and observations of satellites with e-MERLIN”
13:20 Andy Lawrence “The New Space Age: a broader perspective”
13:40 Andrew Williams “Is Astronomy a Space Activity? Searching for policy options to protect astronomy in the satellite megaconstellation era”
14:00 Constance Walker “Toward Implementing Mitigations to Minimize the Impact of Satellite Constellations on Astronomy”
Martin Barstow, Dave Clements, Stuart Eves, Simon Garrington, Caroline Harper, Robert Massey, Heidi Thiemann
Friday morning and early afternoon
All attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to other attendees and staff, and to adhere to the NAM Code of Conduct.
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