NASA Study Highlights Risks of Megaconstellations to Space-Based Astronomy
A recent study conducted by researchers at NASA Ames Research Center has raised significant concerns about the impact of satellite megaconstellations on space-based astronomy. Published in the journal Nature, the study highlights how the increasing number of satellites, launched by companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and OneWeb, as well as governments such as China and the United States, are affecting astronomical observations. The researchers point out that satellite reflections are polluting astronomical images, which is a growing concern for the scientific community. The study notes that current and future observatories, including NASA's SPHEREx, the European Space Agency's ARRAKIHS, and China's Xuntian, are at risk. The paper reveals that 4.3% of images from the Hubble Space Telescope between 2018 and 2021 already show satellite trails, and this number is expected to rise as more satellites are launched. 
