A team of scientists has found that, unsurprisingly, Amazon\u2019s new internet mega constellation, Amazon Leo, has a strong probability of disrupting astronomical research.<\/p>\n
The findings are in keeping with reports from astronomers that SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellites are increasingly ruining their observations. Since the company first started lifting the satellites to space in 2019, streaks of light have botched countless observations.<\/p>\n
Amazon\u2019s Leo satellites add to space congestion<\/p>\n
Amazon currently has approximately 180 active Amazon Leo satellites in low Earth orbit. The company first started launching its mega constellation, formerly known as Project Kuiper, to space last year.<\/p>\n
The new study<\/a>, which was posted on preprint server arXiv this month, analyzed roughly 2,000 observation of the Amazon satellites. In it, the team behind the study concluded that the satellites exceed the brightness limit recommended by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).<\/p>\n The satellites have an average apparent magnitude of 6.28. While this is too dim to be visible to the naked eye, like SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellites, it still interferes with astronomy.<\/p>\n Study lead author Anthony Mallama, an astronomer at the IAU Center for Protection of the Dark And Quiet Sky, and colleagues have previously studied SpaceX\u2019s Starlink megaconstellation. With roughly 9,500 satellites in orbit, it is by far the worst offender when it comes to disrupting astronomical science. However, new constellations like Amazon Leo and AST SpaceMobile\u2019s BlueBird satellite arrays only deepen the problem.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that the problem goes beyond peering into the cosmos. In 2022, NASA warned<\/a> that SpaceX\u2019s Starlink mega-constellation could impede its \u201cability to detect and possibly redirect a potentially catastrophic impact\u201d from a near-Earth asteroid.<\/p>\n A growing problem<\/p>\n Though the researchers noted that Amazon\u2019s Leo satellites are slightly dimmer than SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellites, there is one important caveat. The Starlink constellation is in Earth\u2019s shadow for most of its orbit, making it less disruptive than it would be otherwise.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, Amazon\u2019s satellites are likely to be more disruptive in the future. The first operational batch of satellites, launched atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) in 2025, are orbiting Earth at an altitude of 391 miles (630 kilometers). Future Leo satellites will orbit at lower altitudes of around 366 miles (590 km), the scientists said. This will increase their brightness and make them more visible in astronomical observations.<\/p>\n Amazon eventually aims to grow its Leo constellation to more than 3,200 satellites. In an interview with Space.com<\/a>, Mallama did state that Amazon has been cooperative in engaging with astronomers to work on mitigating the problem.<\/p>\n