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This is out-of-date. SpaceX is working with astronomers to solve this problem. Just yesterday they launched 60 satellites, one of which is covered in a new coat

This is out-of-date. SpaceX is working with astronomers to solve this problem. Just yesterday they launched 60 satellites, one of which is covered in a new coating designed to mitigate the issue. https://interestingengineering.com/spacex-to-coat-satellite-with-non-reflective-substance-to-dull-brightness https://interestingengineering.com/spacex-to-coat-satellite-... Everyone I know that works there cares about this problem, and the last thing they need is need even more pressure from people to solve it. Gwynne Shotwell herself has spoken extensively on the topic: https://spacenews.com/spacex-working-on-fix-for-starlink-satellites-so-they-dont-disrupt-astronomy/ https://spacenews.com/spacex-working-on-fix-for-starlink-sat... I'd also like to add that what they are doing here is iterating very rapidly, and these things are going to just keep getting better and better at everything. It's a mistake to think of these as static, permanent fixtures!

rini17 7y ago
Instead of redesigning or coating the satellites, SpaceX is placing a test coating on one side of one satellite, meaning that 98% of the new satellites will be unchanged. Stating that the test coating was "just an experiment" and that the approach was "trial and error" signaled what a low priority addressing astronomers' concerns were. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/12/11/elon-musk-spacex-unveil-latest-starlink-plans-creating-an-astronomical-emergency/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/12/11/elon...
- maxharris 7y ago
  Exactly whose interests are served by stirring up anger? According to the articles I have read about it, SpaceX is in contact with astronomy groups on this issue. These satellites are not permanent. There are plans that have been filed with the FCC regarding de-orbiting (if I understand this correctly, this is at most 5-7 years, plus at most an additional year to propulsively de-orbit them). I don't have any insider knowledge, but I believe that it is quite likely that many of the early shiny ones will be de-orbited much more quickly than this as more satellites are added. It is crucial to remember that there will be many thousands of these satellites by the time the network is complete. A drastic redesign solely for the purpose of mitigating this issue probably isn't helpful because there are many other physical constraints involved. One example is the issue with heat dissipation if both sides were were coated. Why do a redesign when the engineers don't believe it is necessary? That's an awful lot of design, test and validation work to throw out, with little guarantee that much could be improved in that regard anyway. Success here requires being patient and seeing how the tests go in reality, just like they did with the booster landings. This approach is a much better idea than flipping the priorities by worrying first about the way that non-experts will feel about it. In the end, the goal is to actually have a network of satellites that improves the lives of billions of human beings, while also not destroying the night sky for those that want to take pictures of it. This is a massive undertaking, and without patience and cool heads, it will not succeed.
  - rini17 7y ago
    If you are responsible for very expensive scientific equipment, that will likely get unusable for years or even possibility of damage, fully dependent on goodwill and promises... you voice your grave concerns and get dismissed "bah just stirring anger to serve some interests" Until SpaceX gets some senior astronomers onboard with some plan, I'm not convinced.

rini17 7y ago

Instead of redesigning or coating the satellites, SpaceX is placing a test coating on one side of one satellite, meaning that 98% of the new satellites will be unchanged. Stating that the test coating was "just an experiment" and that the approach was "trial and error" signaled what a low priority addressing astronomers' concerns were. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/12/11/elon-musk-spacex-unveil-latest-starlink-plans-creating-an-astronomical-emergency/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/12/11/elon...

maxharris 7y ago
Exactly whose interests are served by stirring up anger? According to the articles I have read about it, SpaceX is in contact with astronomy groups on this issue. These satellites are not permanent. There are plans that have been filed with the FCC regarding de-orbiting (if I understand this correctly, this is at most 5-7 years, plus at most an additional year to propulsively de-orbit them). I don't have any insider knowledge, but I believe that it is quite likely that many of the early shiny ones will be de-orbited much more quickly than this as more satellites are added. It is crucial to remember that there will be many thousands of these satellites by the time the network is complete. A drastic redesign solely for the purpose of mitigating this issue probably isn't helpful because there are many other physical constraints involved. One example is the issue with heat dissipation if both sides were were coated. Why do a redesign when the engineers don't believe it is necessary? That's an awful lot of design, test and validation work to throw out, with little guarantee that much could be improved in that regard anyway. Success here requires being patient and seeing how the tests go in reality, just like they did with the booster landings. This approach is a much better idea than flipping the priorities by worrying first about the way that non-experts will feel about it. In the end, the goal is to actually have a network of satellites that improves the lives of billions of human beings, while also not destroying the night sky for those that want to take pictures of it. This is a massive undertaking, and without patience and cool heads, it will not succeed.
- rini17 7y ago
  If you are responsible for very expensive scientific equipment, that will likely get unusable for years or even possibility of damage, fully dependent on goodwill and promises... you voice your grave concerns and get dismissed "bah just stirring anger to serve some interests" Until SpaceX gets some senior astronomers onboard with some plan, I'm not convinced.