Written By: Jure Japelj

Astronomers and Starlink engineers have developed a technique to significantly reduce satellite radio pollution affecting astronomical observations.

Due to the rising number of satellites, astronomers may soon be unable to carry out detailed, high-quality radio observations. However, the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) and SpaceX have jointly developed techniques to help avoid the worst-case scenario.

Just as light pollution obscures the night sky in visible light, artificial radio transmissions shroud faint astronomical radio sources like galaxies, the silhouettes of black holes, and newly formed stars. That’s why radio telescopes are located in radio-quiet zones, astronomical havens where ground-based radio transmissions are restricted to avoid affecting sensitive equipment. One such place is the National Radio Quiet Zone in Virginia, which contains the Green Bank Observatory.

However, quiet zones are vulnerable to satellites that use radio waves to transmit information to the ground. Existing laws do not protect these zones from satellite transmissions and, with more satellites orbiting Earth year by year, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to manage such radio interference.