Satellites crowding earth's orbital skies are causing interference in the electromagnetic waves that are crucial for radio astronomy, according to research published by Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The electromagnetic wave interference is more like when you tune the radio to a particular station, radio astronomers can tune their telescopes to pick up radio waves millions of light years from Earth. Using sophisticated computer programming, they can unravel signals to study the birth and death of stars, the formation of galaxies and the various kinds of matter in the Universe.

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The research mentions that satellites, such as SpaceX's Starlink, are emitting low-frequency radio waves that can impact the ability to study the cosmos.

Understanding this impact is essential, and scientists are working to investigate the issue.

Why is this a concern?

The number of satellites in Earth's orbit is rapidly increasing. SpaceX alone has an estimated 4,365 of their small internet satellites in Earth orbit, with thousands more planned. And they're not the only company. OneWeb has over 600, Amazon plans to launch thousands more starting in 2024.

While SpaceX has made efforts to address visible light pollution by designing dimmer satellites, the issue of radio interference remains.

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Radio astronomy, which is a significant branch of astronomy, relies on specific radio frequencies. While the allocated downlink bands used by satellites for communication fall within acceptable ranges, there are concerns that unintended radio waves may be emitted outside of these bands. This is what researchers sought to investigate.

Using a vast system of radio antennas called LOFAR, scientists observed 68 satellites from the Starlink constellation. Their observations confirmed electromagnetic leakage from the satellites' electronics, specifically in the frequency range between 110 and 188 MHz.

Notably, this range includes a protected band between 150.05 and 153 MHz allocated to radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union.

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Although the emission appears to be unintentional and not violating any rules, the concern lies in the potential for increased interference as more satellites are launched. The brighter the unintentional radio signals become, the greater the impact on radio astronomy.

Fortunately, there is hope for a solution. Researchers have reached out to SpaceX, which is actively working to reduce or eliminate this unintended leakage. It's worth noting that we are still in the early stages of satellite constellation technology, and this issue has been identified relatively early. Future satellite designs can be adjusted to mitigate interference, while regulators work to establish rules to address this unexpected gap.

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The study highlights how technology development can have unforeseen side effects on astronomy. It emphasizes the need for collaboration and support from the entire satellite industry and regulatory bodies to find effective solutions and ensure the advancement of both satellite technology and radio astronomy.