Satellite Constellation Internet Affordability and Need

Abstract

Large satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit seek to be the infrastructure for global broadband Internet and other telecommunication needs. We briefly review the impacts of satellite constellations on astronomy and show that the Internet service offered by these satellites will primarily target populations where it is unaffordable, not needed, or both. The harm done by tens to hundreds of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites to astronomy, stargazers worldwide, and the environment is not acceptable.

4 pages, 1 figure, published in RNAAS

References in corpus (4)

• LSST: from Science Drivers to Reference Design and Anticipated Data Products
• The Low Earth Orbit Satellite Population and Impacts of the SpaceX Starlink Constellation
• On the Impact of Satellite Constellations on Astronomical Observations with ESO telescopes in the Visible and Infrared Domains
• First observations and magnitude measurement of Starlink's Darksat

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Visibility Predictions for Near-Future Satellite Megaconstellations: Latitudes near 50 Degrees will Experience the Worst Light Pollution