Thousands more SpaceX satellite chains on the way

Saturday, 29 February 2020

Elon Musk, founder, CEO, and chief engineer/designer of SpaceX speaks during a news conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The sparkling satellites seen across New Zealand skies will only become more common as space becomes 'more like the wild west', a scientist says.

American entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX has been launching Starlink satellites in batches of 60 since May last year and has about 300 orbiting Earth.

The satellite chains have come in for criticism from astronomers worldwide because it reflects sunlight creating light pollution.

Duncan Steel, a space scientist based in Nelson, said space had become 'lawless'.

'Apparently they're planning to have 12,000 up before too long and they're aiming for 42,000 within the next few years, and they're not the only nation doing this.

SpaceX satellite chains projected times for Sunday evening. Space scientist based in Nelson, Dr Duncan Steel, says space is becoming like the wild west.

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'I'd say in some ways space is becoming a bit like the wild west, somewhat lawless and certainly these things will cause problems for ground based astronomy - optical because of the reflection of sunlight and also radio astronomy because of the light radiant pollution.'

Steel said there was no enforceable regulation to stop companies like SpaceX from launching as many objects as they can into orbit as the United Nations are 'powerless'.

'There's nothing to stop them from doing this. To actually launch something you need permission from your nation because there are various UN treaties with regards to the use of space and the UN has a specific office to deal with this - Space Affairs as its called in Vienna, but it doesn't have any power.'

'So these companies get licensed by the launching nation to put things into space then there's nothing that can be done to stop them as such. It's like saying UN has rules which preclude warfare but it doesn't mean to say there's no wars.'

Steel said launching too many satellites into space would create another problem with space debris causing collisions due to congestion.

'From my own perspective rather than ground based astronomy I see a problem in terms of space debris for reparation. The problem of satellites colliding with each other or debris from satellites colliding with other satellites.

'That clearly is going to get worse and worse as time goes by and we put more things into orbit.'

On Saturday evening, the SpaceX satellites are expected to cross New Zealand's sky at about 9pm while the International Space Station (ISS) will be crossing at about 9.59pm.

'They're very easy to see, they can be as bright as most of the stars,' said Steel.

'You will see them moving in groups so they're kind of moving in step.

'The space station is very very bright. This space station is the size of a rugby field while these SpaceX satellites are the size of a table.'

On Sunday, the International Space Station will passes south of New Zealand at about 9.15pm and can be seen from throughout New Zealand.

The Starlink satellites will be visible to the naked eye between about 9pm and 9.45pm on Sunday evening.

'(The ISS) will appear as bright as the very brightest stars in the sky,' Steel said.

'As the sky darkens and your eyes get better adjusted, you should be able to see dozens of them (SpaceX satellites), each taking about seven or eight minutes to pass from the western horizon to the eastern side of NZ, though the precise positions in the sky depends on where you are located.'