Darkened SpaceX Satellites Can Still Disrupt Astronomy, New Research Suggests
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Launch of SpaceX Starlink satellites on November 24, 2020. (Image: SpaceX)
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SpaceX’s attempt to reduce the reflectivity of Starlink satellites is working, but not to the degree required by astronomers.
Starlink satellites with an anti-reflective coating are half as bright as the standard version, according to research published in The Astrophysical Journal. It’s an improvement, but still not good enough, according to the team, led by astronomer Takashi Horiuchi from the National Astronomical Observatory in Japan. These “DarkSats,” as they’re called, also continue to cause problems at other wavelengths of light.