Earth Day: Let’s Cut Back on Satellites

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The growth of all tracked objects in space over time. (‘The Case for Space Environmentalism,” Nature, April 22, 2022)

An article in Nature is encouraging a new approach to satellites as we recognize Earth Day. The article, “The Case for Space Environmentalism,” highlights the growth of satellites (estimated to reach more than 100,000 by the end of the decade) and related debris as well as its impact on professional astronomy, public stargazing, and the sustainability of commercial, civic, and military activity in space. The paper states:

We have laid out the argument for the urgent need for orbital space to be considered part of the human environment. Adequately addressing the problems detailed above will require a holistic approach that treats orbital space as part of the environment, and worthy of environmental protection through existing and new policies, rules and regulations at national and international levels. We urge decision makers and policymakers to consider the environmental impacts of all aspects of satellite constellations, including launch, operation and de-orbit, and to work with all stakeholders to co-create a shared, ethical, sustainable approach to space.

This is the perfect day to consider the need to protect the environment on the ground and in the heavens. Happy Earth Day!

White House: U.S. Anti-Satellite Testing to End

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The White House. (Whitehouse.gov)

Earlier this week, Vice President Harris announced that the United States will no longer conduct anti-satellite missile testing in space. In her statement, she highlighted the dangers caused by the related satellite debris.

From Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, she stated:

I am pleased to announce that as of today, the United States commits not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing.

Simply put: These tests are dangerous, and we will not conduct them.

We are the first nation to make such a commitment.  And today, on behalf of the United States of America, I call on all nations to join us.

Whether a nation is spacefaring or not, we believe this will benefit everyone, just as space benefits everyone.

In the days and months ahead, we will work with other nations to establish this as a new international norm for responsible behavior in space.  And there is a direct connection between such a norm and the daily life of the American people. 

If a satellite was taken out by debris, it could affect the daily weather forecast, GPS driving directions, and even your favorite TV station.

Critical infrastructure, like wind turbines that power our homes, well, they rely on satellites for connectivity.

Satellites help us track the climate crisis.  They enable our commercial activities.  And they help us protect our troops and our people.

All of this is threatened by the debris created by these reckless tests.

These tests also threaten the lives of astronauts in the International Space Station.

In fact, I spoke earlier this month with Mark Vande Hei who just returned from 355 days in space on the Space Station.  An American record.

While he was in space, Russia conducted its anti-satellite missile test.  He had to shelter in an escape capsule in case the Space Station was hit by debris.

Russia’s action was a threat not just to his life, but also to those of Russian cosmonauts.

Let’s hope other nations are quick to follow. Further discussions and decisions on limiting the number of satellites in low-Earth orbit would also be helpful. That said, it’s a start.

Prepare for Thousands More LEO Satellites

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Launch vehicles for Amazon’s Project Kuiper. (Amazon)

Watch out SpaceX, Amazon is getting into the Internet satellite business as well. More importantly, beware astronomers and orbiting spacecraft, because the skies are going to be really crazy, and China has not even started with its massive program.

This week, Amazon announced plans to more forward with Project Kuiper, which will involve about 83 rocket launches involving Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance. The Project will place 3,236 satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) over a five-year period.

This is how Amazon describes Project Kuiper:

Project Kuiper aims to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband to a wide range of customers, including individual households, schools, hospitals, businesses, government agencies, disaster relief operations, mobile operators, and other organizations working in places without reliable internet connectivity. Amazon is designing and developing the entire system in-house, combining a constellation of advanced LEO satellites with small, affordable customer terminals and a secure, resilient ground-based communications network. 

Of course, this is what SpaceX’s Starlink is already doing as it aims for 42,000 such satellites. In addition, Oneweb aims for about 600 such satellites (to be launched by SpaceX of all firms). And China is considering a similar system of 10,000 LEO satellites. This is just the list to date, which is quite a cluster of problems already.

So let me get this straight. We can get Dish TV cable services to every spot in the US using only 9 satellites, but we will need thousands and thousands of competing satellites crowding LEO and jeopardizing our space stations, weather and intelligence satellites, and astronomy efforts all for Internet services?

Why does it appear we are going backwards. I understand that the Dish satellites are about 22,000 miles away in geosynchronous orbits, but why can’t that be the model going forward rather than the billions of satellites that Mr. Musk thinks is possible? It strikes me as crazy to go down this path. All we need is one bad collision, and the cascading impact of that collision, to doom all of LEO.

We really need to think this through.

Ukraine and Starlink

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Source/Credit: Starlink terminals posted in a Ukrainian tweet.

Three cheers for SpaceX’s assistance to Ukraine during this difficult time. After Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov made a plea to SpaceX for assistance with its Internet, Mr. Must approved the shipment of Starlink terminals to Ukraine to allow the country to use the company’s satellites for its communications.

Vice Prime Minister Fedorov had tweeted:

@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.

We can haggle about the number of Starlink satellites in orbit another time. Fortunately, such satellites are there when the beleaguered Ukrainians need them.

You can read more about it via The Verge.

Russia Interrupts Space Missions

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Source/Credit: Guiana Space Center launch pads from the ESA.

Be prepared. With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the related U.S. and European sanctions, we can expect some delays and cancellations in upcoming space missions. The latest news story is Russia’s pull out of the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, leading to the delayed launch of two European Space Agency (ESA) Galileo navigation satellites that were to be sent into orbit on Soyuz rockets.

Director General of Russia’s Roscosmos tweeted:

In response to EU sanctions against our enterprises, Roscosmos is suspending cooperation with European partners in organizing space launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and withdrawing its technical personnel, including the consolidated launch crew, from French Guiana.

Luckily, the world is becoming less and less reliant on Russian rockets. Nonetheless, it would be better for Russia to focus on scientific missions again rather than military missions. Rockets should be aimed at the stars instead of the Ukrainian people.