arstechnica.com
NASA astronomers warn that planned satellite constellations like Starlink pose a significant threat to future orbital telescopes, not just ground-based ones. Their analysis reveals that upcoming observatories could see an average of nearly 100 satellite tracks per exposure. Ironically, measures to mitigate ground-based interference may worsen the problem for space-based telescopes. While telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope remain unaffected, they are expensive and lack the regular servicing capabilities of Earth-orbiting telescopes. Hubble images already show increased satellite tracks, and with planned satellite launches, the situation is projected to worsen dramatically in the next decade.
