Latest news with #SKA
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Astronomers worry Musk's Starlink could disrupt South Africa's mega-telescope observations
Astronomers working with South Africa's SKA telescope are urging the government to ensure that any licensing deal with Elon Musk's Starlink includes protections for their sensitive astronomical research. Astronomers in South Africa emphasize the need for protective measures in agreements involving SpaceX's Starlink to safeguard sensitive astronomical research. A licensing deal with Starlink has attracted controversy, with its parent company advocating alternative compliance mechanisms to local ownership laws. Concerns exist that Starlink's low-orbit satellites might interfere with operations of South Africa's SKA-Mid radio telescope. Astronomers working with South Africa's SKA telescope are urging the government to ensure that any licensing deal with Elon Musk's Starlink includes protections for their sensitive astronomical research, according to a senior scientist. Talks around Starlink's entry into South Africa have already sparked controversy. Parent company SpaceX has pushed back against local ownership laws, instead proposing equity equivalent initiatives as an alternative path to compliance. Adding astronomy-related licensing conditions could further complicate efforts to bring Starlink to South Africa, where Musk already expressed concerns over the government's Black empowerment policies, Reuters reported. While South African authorities have said they're open to reviewing rules in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, they remain firm on policies aimed at transforming the economy nearly 30 years after the end of white-minority rule. Interference with the SKA telescope Scientists worry that Starlink's low-orbit satellites could interfere with observations by South Africa's Square Kilometre Array (SKA-Mid), one of the world's most advanced radio telescopes, co-hosted with a similar array in Australia. Di Vruno, spectrum manager at the SKA Observatory, said both his organization and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) are pushing for license conditions that would limit interference with critical observation frequencies used by the SKA-Mid telescope. These conditions could require Starlink to either steer its satellite beams away from SKA receivers or pause transmissions for brief periods to minimize disruption, he explained. The SKA's current array of antennas in Carnarvon, a remote town in South Africa's Northern Cape, operates within the 350 megahertz to 15.4 gigahertz frequency range, bandwidth also commonly used by satellite operators for downlinks. South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope, a precursor to the SKA-Mid and soon to be integrated into the larger Square Kilometre Array (SKA), has already delivered remarkable discoveries. Among them is a rare giant radio galaxy that spans 32 times the size of the Milky Way. In another instance, it identified 49 new galaxies in under three hours, according to the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).
The Herald
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Scientists want astronomy-linked conditions on Starlink's SA licence deal
Di Vruno said the SKA Observatory, where he is spectrum manager, and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (Sarao) were lobbying for licence requirements to reduce the impact on observations in certain frequency ranges, including some that SKA-Mid uses. This could direct Starlink to steer satellite beams away from SKA receivers or stop transmission for a few seconds to minimise interference, he said. South Africa's SKA antennae, in the remote Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, uses the 350 megahertz to 15.4 gigahertz bandwidth, a range also used by most satellite operators for downlinks. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa regulator and Starlink did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters about the scientists' concerns. South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope, a precursor to SKA-Mid which will be incorporated into the larger instrument, has already discovered a rare giant radio galaxy that is 32 times the size of the Milky Way. Last year it found 49 new galaxies in under three hours, according to Sarao. SKA Observatory, an international body, also campaigns for conditions on licensing agreements with other major satellite operators such as Amazon and Eutelsat's OneWeb to ensure quiet skies amid a boom in new satellite launches. 'We are trying to follow different technical and regulatory avenues to mitigate this issue on the global stage,' Di Vruno said. Reuters
TimesLIVE
11 hours ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Scientists want astronomy-linked conditions on Starlink's SA licence deal
Astronomers working with South Africa's Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope are pushing authorities to ensure that any licensing agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink will protect their groundbreaking observations, a senior scientist says. Discussions to bring Musk's internet service Starlink into South Africa have already been contentious, with parent company SpaceX criticising local shareholding laws while backing equity equivalent programmes. Attaching astronomy-linked licensing conditions may further complicate attempts to introduce Starlink to the country of Musk's birth, where he has already said he is deterred by the government's black empowerment policies. South Africa said it will review its information and communication technology sector rules but will not back down on government policies to transform the economy three decades after white-minority rule ended. Scientists fear South Africa's SKA-Mid, the world's most powerful radio telescope together with another array co-hosted in Australia, will have their sensitive space observations distorted by Starlink's low-orbiting satellites. 'It will be like shining a spotlight into someone's eyes, blinding us to the faint radio signals from celestial bodies,' Federico di Vruno, co-chair of International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky, told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Astronomers fear impact of Musk's Starlink on South Africa mega-telescope observations
By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN: Astronomers working with South Africa's SKA telescope are pushing authorities to ensure that any licensing agreement with Elon Musk 's Starlink will protect their groundbreaking observations, a senior scientist said. Discussions to bring Musk's internet service Starlink in South Africa have already been contentious, with parent company SpaceX criticising local shareholding laws while backing equity equivalent programmes. South Africa said it will review its Information and Communication Technology sector rules but will not back down on government policies to transform the economy three decades after white-minority rule ended. Scientists fear South Africa's Square Kilometre Array (SKA-Mid), the world's most powerful radio telescope together with another array co-hosted in Australia, will have their sensitive space observations distorted by Starlink's low-orbiting satellites. "It will be like shining a spotlight into someone's eyes, blinding us to the faint radio signals from celestial bodies," Federico Di Vruno, co-chair of International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky, told Reuters in a telephone interview. Di Vruno said the SKA Observatory, where he is spectrum manager, and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) were lobbying for license requirements to reduce the impact on observations in certain frequency ranges, including some that SKA-Mid uses. That could direct Starlink to steer satellite beams away from SKA receivers or stop transmission for a few seconds to minimise interference, he said. South Africa's current SKA antennae, in the remote Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, use the 350 megahertz to 15.4 gigahertz bandwidth, a range also used by most satellite operators for downlinks. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa regulator and Starlink did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters about the scientists' concerns. MAJOR OBSERVATIONS South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope, a precursor to SKA-Mid which will be incorporated into the larger instrument, has already discovered a rare giant radio galaxy that is 32 times the size of the Milky Way. Last year, it found 49 new galaxies in under three hours, according to SARAO. SKA Observatory, an international body, also campaigns for conditions on licensing agreements with other major satellite operators such as Amazon and Eutelsat's OneWeb to ensure quiet skies amid a boom in new satellite launches. "We are trying to follow different technical and regulatory avenues to mitigate this issue on the global stage," Di Vruno said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Astronomers fear impact of Musk's Starlink on South Africa mega-telescope observations
By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) -Astronomers working with South Africa's SKA telescope are pushing authorities to ensure that any licensing agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink will protect their groundbreaking observations, a senior scientist said. Discussions to bring Musk's internet service Starlink in South Africa have already been contentious, with parent company SpaceX criticising local shareholding laws while backing equity equivalent programmes. Attaching astronomy-linked licensing conditions may further complicate attempts to introduce Starlink to the country of Musk's birth, where he has already said he is deterred by government Black empowerment policies. South Africa said it will review its Information and Communication Technology sector rules but will not back down on government policies to transform the economy three decades after white-minority rule ended. Scientists fear South Africa's Square Kilometre Array (SKA-Mid), the world's most powerful radio telescope together with another array co-hosted in Australia, will have their sensitive space observations distorted by Starlink's low-orbiting satellites. "It will be like shining a spotlight into someone's eyes, blinding us to the faint radio signals from celestial bodies," Federico Di Vruno, co-chair of International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky, told Reuters in a telephone interview. Di Vruno said the SKA Observatory, where he is spectrum manager, and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) were lobbying for license requirements to reduce the impact on observations in certain frequency ranges, including some that SKA-Mid uses. That could direct Starlink to steer satellite beams away from SKA receivers or stop transmission for a few seconds to minimise interference, he said. South Africa's current SKA antennae, in the remote Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, use the 350 megahertz to 15.4 gigahertz bandwidth, a range also used by most satellite operators for downlinks. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa regulator and Starlink did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters about the scientists' concerns. MAJOR OBSERVATIONS South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope, a precursor to SKA-Mid which will be incorporated into the larger instrument, has already discovered a rare giant radio galaxy that is 32 times the size of the Milky Way. Last year, it found 49 new galaxies in under three hours, according to SARAO. SKA Observatory, an international body, also campaigns for conditions on licensing agreements with other major satellite operators such as Amazon and Eutelsat's OneWeb to ensure quiet skies amid a boom in new satellite launches. "We are trying to follow different technical and regulatory avenues to mitigate this issue on the global stage," Di Vruno said.
