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ISSUE 29 - March 2021





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Explained in 60 Seconds: Impact of Satellite Constellations in Astronomy (page 04)
Walker, C.E.

Summary

Astronomers are living in a conundrum. The development of space and technology has now allowed for private and public organisations to create large satellite constellations. These ‘constellations’ of similar type and function operate in unison and are deployed for a variety of purposes, including geodesy, satellite telephony, Earth observation, and most recently global satellite internet. While astronomers, in general, acknowledge the merits of worldwide internet services that satellite constellations can supply, especially to previously hard-to-reach areas, there are repercussions for anyone who looks at the night sky. The good news is that these repercussions can be partially mitigated and many organisations are working on it.

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