SpaceX launched an Internet satellite that collided with a satellite for weather observation


by Rawpixel Ltd

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it has implemented the collision avoidance mode because the satellites of the Starlink project promoted by space company SpaceX and the satellites owned by ESA overlap. ESA states that 'If this mode is not implemented, the satellite may have collided over the earth.'



Satellite forced to dodge 'mega constellation' floating above Earth | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/esa-spacex-satellite-mega-constellation-starlink-space-junk-a9089131.html

SpaceX Starlink satellite nearly collides with European satellite-CNET
https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-starlink-satellite-nearly-collides-with-european-satellite/

ADM-Aeolous is an artificial satellite launched by ESA in August 2018. As named after the god of wind that appears in Greek mythology, Aiolos is a satellite that observes the movement of the wind on the earth from an orbit at an altitude of 320 km, a large telescope with a diameter of 150 cm and a laser Doppler measurement device `` ALADIN (Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument) ”.

On the other hand, Elon Musk space company SpaceX, led by CEO is, towards the Internet network construction of gigabit-class, launched a Starlink project to launch a more than 4000 groups of man-made satellite in 2016. The Starlink project was approved by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in March 2018, and two test satellites were launched in February 2019 on the SpaceX rocket `` Falcon 9 '' in early May 2019. 60 satellites were launched.

SpaceX launches the first 60 satellites for the Starlink project that builds the Internet environment using artificial satellites-gigazine



However, space debris specialists belonging to ESA have confirmed that there is a high risk of collision between one of Aiolos and Starlink's satellites. It is said that the collision avoidance mode, in which the satellite can be manually operated from the ESA, was executed, and the satellite was propelled to a higher altitude from the orbit where there was a possibility of collision.

According to the ESA, the collision avoidance mode was executed 28 times in 2018, but most of them were to avoid satellites and space debris that had stopped operating. It is very unusual to run collision avoidance mode to avoid actively operating satellites like Starlink's satellite.



In the unlikely event of a collision, not only a very expensive satellite will be lost, but a negative chain will occur that the fragments will continue to drift into orbit as space debris and even damage other satellites The possibility is also fully considered. Since human civilization on the earth is mostly supported by communication satellites and GPS, it has been pointed out that the increase of space debris will prevent human civilization from standing.

Communication satellites and GPS are destroyed by space garbage, life returns to the 1970s, and all space development may stop-GIGAZINE



The Starlink satellite also has a function to automatically correct the orbit and avoid space debris, but this time the automatic avoidance function did not work. Cnet, which deals with technical news, contacted SpaceX, but no comment was obtained.

If Starlink launches 4,000 satellites into space as planned, it will be very difficult to avoid collisions manually when similar problems occur. ESA warned. In addition, ESA has revealed a plan to automate satellite avoidance using artificial intelligence.

In addition, the Starlink project says that `` 4000 artificial satellites reflect the light of the sun and stars, so extra light enters the astrophotography, and astronomical observation can not be done correctly, '' one opinion complaining of light pollution From some scientists and astronomers.

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in Hardware,   Science, Posted by log1i_yk