Author: Meng Xiangjun
Tranquil, majestic, boundless—space is supposed to be as clean as the movies show.
However, astronomers have discovered some strange things. For example, what is this line in the observation map taken by the astronomical telescope?
Astronomical observations taken by the Zwicky Transient Detector at Mount Palomar Observatory.
Image credit: Caltech Optical ObservatoriesIPAC
Oh, this mysterious line comes from the Starlink communication satellite launched by the richest man Musk's American Space Exploration Technology Company (hereinafter referred to as SpaceX).
[Musk's giant constellation plan]
Musk is trying to establish a satellite Internet covering the world through the Starlink plan to provide unlimited broadband services to the world. The first batch of satellites will be sent into space in 2019.
SpaceX's ambitious ultimate goal is a "super mega-constellation" of up to 42,000 satellites.
To date, about 2,000 satellites have been launched into low Earth orbit.
2000 satellites, what concept?
At present, the total number of satellites in orbit around the world is only more than 2,000.
File photo: Elon Musk.
It is estimated that the weight of the Starlink satellite does not exceed 260 kilograms, including the launch cost, and the cost of a single satellite is less than 500,000 US dollars.
Achieve the "small goals" first, then do the big things.
Launching a large number of relatively low-cost small satellites to "occupy craters", and then use the Internet to connect them together to "surround" the only homeland of mankind, this is Musk's strategy.
Look at the number of launches, 60 stars in one arrow, the editor calls him a good guy!
In January 2021, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying 143 satellites into space, setting a new record for the number of satellites launched in a single launch.
SpaceX's own highest record is 143 stars in one arrow, the highest in the world. Compared with this, India's 104 stars in one arrow is almost meaningless.
And look at the frequency of the launch, there are several batches a month, and it takes off so fast, who can match it?
SpaceX's "Starlink" satellites are launched at a high frequency.
Image source: Screenshot of the CBS report page
[Continuously "touching porcelain" Chinese space station]
As a result, these huge numbers of "Musk" brand satellites are roaming in space...
Wait, no, it's "flying".
A spacecraft with the words "Starlink" written on it.
Image credit: SpaceX
Worldwide, Musk's satellites have not only been poorly received, but have also been criticized a lot.
Because whether it is Europe or China, whether astronomers or astronomy enthusiasts, these American satellites can't be avoided!
In December 2021, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations (Vienna) submitted a note to the Secretary-General of the United Nations stating that the U.S. Starlink satellite had twice approached the Chinese space station dangerously.
The editor found the note document on the official website of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNOOSA). Let’s first look at the first emergency collision avoidance listed by the Chinese side ↓ ↓
The Chinese side cited the first emergency collision avoidance by the Chinese space station against the U.S. Starlink satellite.
Image source: Screenshot of UNOOSA's official website.
what's going on?
The U.S. satellite has been running for a month and suddenly changed its orbit, and the orbit change process took another month. Where do you want to stay?
In the end, China took the initiative to take the initiative and evade it urgently.
Look at the second emergency collision avoidance ↓ ↓
The second emergency collision avoidance of the Chinese space station against the US Starlink satellite.
Image source: Screenshot of UNOOSA's official website.
What is "unknown policy and inability to assess error"?
To put it professionally, it is "continuous orbital maneuvering state". To put it bluntly, the US satellite is like a dangerous bullet, rampaging and flying around.
"Economic Daily" pointed out that under high-speed operation, as long as it collides with an object with a diameter of more than 10 centimeters, the Chinese space station will be damaged.
The two avoidance of American satellites shows the superb space perception and obstacle avoidance capabilities of the Chinese space station.
Key points: The Chinese side said that this has threatened the personal safety of Chinese astronauts, and they have to hide!
The Chinese side cited the second emergency collision avoidance by the Chinese space station against the U.S. Starlink satellite.
Image source: Screenshot of UNOOSA's official website.
After the Chinese side submitted a note, the U.S. side denied that the Starlink satellites endangered the Chinese space station, saying that its activities did not meet the established emergency collision standard threshold, so no emergency notification was required under any circumstances.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded on February 10, saying that after the collision avoidance incident, the Chinese side tried to contact the U.S. side many times, but received no reply.
Today, the U.S. side shirks its responsibilities and diverts its attention. This is not the responsible attitude that a space power should have.
What's more, the US has no right to unilaterally set a "lower limit of emergency collision standards".
Zhao Lijian pointed out that Article 9 of the Outer Space Treaty stipulates that the exploration and use of outer space by each State party shall be based on the principle of cooperation and mutual assistance; all activities of a State party in outer space shall properly take into account the equal interests of other States parties.
The Chinese side has registered the information about the space station with the United Nations, and published the orbital number of the Chinese space station on the website.
From the perspective of safeguarding the safety of Chinese astronauts and space stations, China is willing to establish a long-term communication mechanism with the United States, and hopes that the United States will take practical measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Look at our attitude, how open it is!
[Too many criticisms, NASA had to come forward]
Europe faces the same problem.
Back in September 2019, the European Space Agency (ESA) actively performed evasive maneuvers to ensure that its satellites would not collide with SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
Aschbach, the newly appointed director general of the European Space Agency at the end of 2021, warned that the Starlink program affects the radio frequency and orbital space conditions in space, and that "one person owns half of the active satellites in the world, which is amazing", which means "Musk is making his own rules for space".
Data map: American astronauts work outside the European laboratory on the International Space Station.
The performance of Starlink satellites has also been questioned.
On February 8, 2022, SpaceX stated that due to the impact of the geomagnetic storm, as many as 40 of the 49 Starlink satellites it deployed could not leave the safe mode for orbital lift operations, so they were scrapped and "will return or have been re-launched. return to Earth's atmosphere.
Although SpaceX pointed out that these deorbited satellites have "zero collision risk" with other satellites, many people did not buy it, and NASA had to come out to "fire the fire."
NASA has expressed "concerns" about the Starlink deployment plan because there are at least 25,000 objects in orbit around the earth, and SpaceX's satellites will more than double the number of related objects in orbit, threatening the safety of the International Space Station.
Now the earth is covered with 2,000 Starlink satellites. According to the assumption, there will be tens of thousands in the future. When observing the universe from the earth, you will see "a string of satellite eggs" from SpaceX.
Even if the deployment is completed, once the Starlink satellite fails, it will become a huge amount of space junk, and it will take 1 to 5 years to fall into the atmosphere and burn up. The consequences are unimaginable.
Data map: An abandoned satellite weighing 6.5 tons in the United States.
David Galardi, an expert at the Spanish Astronomical Society, pointed out that the main responsibility for the generation of space junk in the world should be borne by private companies, of which SpaceX has the largest number of active satellites.
According to statistics from the US Space Surveillance Network, as of July 2021, the United States ranks first in the world with 3,819 in-service and abandoned spacecraft, far behind the second-placed CIS countries by nearly 2 times.
【Light pollution interferes with astronomical observations】
Because Starlink satellites seem to be more reflective than other satellites, and the photosensitivity of astronomical telescopes makes these satellites a "source of light pollution".
In addition to NASA's warning, mainstream media such as "USA Today", ABC, and "Business Insider" have also paid attention to this.
Last month, the California Institute of Technology issued an article saying that researchers relying on astronomical images taken by the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Mountain Observatory in the United States analyzed that within 10 months, more than 5,000 objects appeared in the picture. Orbital traces composed of Starlink satellites.
This background image of the California Institute of Technology is one of them.
Are you familiar?
It's the one at the beginning of the article ↓ ↓
The official website of the California Institute of Technology published the impact of Starlink satellites on astronomical observations.
Image source: Screenshot of Caltech's official website.
Starlink satellites also became a "spoiler" when well-known astrophotographer Daniel Lopez used expensive equipment to track the comet NEOWISE.
In the time-lapse photos, all these "mysterious lines" cover up the brilliance of the protagonist's comet - yes, it is caused by the Starlink satellite.
The movement traces of a large number of Starlink satellites interfered with the observation of Comet Xinzhi.
Image credit: Daniel Lopéz /elcielodecanarias.com
This picture has become one of the evidences that the astronomy community and astronomy enthusiasts are aggressively crusade against Musk.
You must know that Comet Xinzhi only returns to Earth once in more than 6,000 years, while the lifespan of Starlink satellites is only 5 to 7 years... No wonder the American media used "visual bombing" to describe this event.
"Business Insider" magazine reported that Musk's Starlink satellite trajectory "bombed" the beautiful scene of the comet.
Image source: Screenshot of foreign media reports.
Musk, who was aware of these problems, installed a folding plate called "Visorsat" for the newly launched satellite to reduce the reflectivity, but this did not meet the standards of organizations such as the American Astronomical Society and was still unsatisfactory. Satellites also cannot install these devices.
SpaceX plans to reduce reflectivity by installing sun visors.
Image credit: SpaceX
[Do you have any intentions behind the deployment? 】
In addition, many analysts believe that there is a deep meaning behind the "massive" launch of such satellites by the United States.
Rogozin, general manager of Roscosmos.
Image source: Russian Satellite News Agency
Dmitry Rogozin, former deputy prime minister of Russia and president of Roscosmos, said that the Starlink satellites built by SpaceX can not only change the direction of cruise missiles in flight, but also command special forces and control espionage networks.
He pointed out that SpaceX received about $900 million in funding from the U.S. government to deploy satellite communication systems, and the next stage of budget subsidies will total $20 billion.
"The question is: Why does the (U.S.) government need this?" Rogozin said.
On January 29, 2020 local time, SpaceX launched the fourth batch of 60 "Starlink" satellites into space.
Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" analyzed that SpaceX has made no secret that the networking services provided by Starlink are paid, and the cash flow generated will be a necessary condition to fund its Mars plan.
Will the company decide on user data for cash flow?
In other words, Starlink has the ability to obtain user browsing records and personal information outside the scope of supervision, and to control the websites that users can access.
The editor believes that in addition to information security being one of the key points of attention, it does not abide by international treaty obligations and does not consider public safety. No matter which country, it wants to move the barbaric and domineering "law of the jungle" to outer space, and recklessly "race the horse" in space. land”, its danger cannot be underestimated.
From this point of view, it is not surprising that Musk was rated as "the number one protagonist of Space Cry" by foreign media.
(Finish)