A NASA astronaut filmed a space "train" of Starlink satellites against the backdrop of the aurora borealis

During his mission to the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured a unique video. The footage clearly shows a long "train" of Starlink satellites gradually passing the orbital outpost. This rare image from space received widespread publicity, but it also highlighted the serious problem these artificial constellations pose for science.

Since 2019, SpaceX has launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites. Their goal is to provide global broadband internet. However, the long-term plan to expand the network to 42,000 satellites is causing concern in the scientific community.

The main problem is sunlight reflected off the satellites' reflective surfaces, creating bright, moving streaks in the night sky. These "sky trains" interfere with ground-based telescopes, preventing astronomers from observing deep-sky objects. The impact is so severe that even the Hubble Space Telescope, orbiting near Earth, has begun to suffer from these bright glares. A second problem is radio interference, which hinders the work of radio astronomers.

SpaceX is attempting to mitigate the impact. The company has installed special glare-reducing shields on its satellites and is suspending signal transmissions over key radio astronomy observatories. These countermeasures have so far had limited effect.

Scientists warn that without effective measures, the consequences for astronomy, especially radio astronomy, could be catastrophic. With not only SpaceX but also other companies, such as Amazon, planning to deploy their own networks, the issue of light and radio pollution requires immediate attention before the situation becomes irreversible.