In a landmark study that could reshape global conversations about space technology and scientific research, astronomers at Curtin University have revealed that SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are significantly interfering with radio astronomy observations, posing a potential threat to future astronomical discoveries.
The diagonal lines stretching across this image from a ground-based telescope are reflected light from 25 of the first batch of Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX. Image credit: Victoria Girgis/Lowell Observatory
The research, conducted by the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and based at the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA), is the largest of its kind, surveying low-frequency satellite radio emissions with unprecedented detail. Using a prototype station designed for the upcoming Square Kilometre Array (SKA) — set to become the world’s most powerful radio telescope — the team analysed a staggering 76 million sky images over a four-month period.
Led by PhD candidate Dylan Grigg, the study catalogued over 112,000 unintended radio emissions from 1,806 Starlink satellites. These emissions, which leak from the satellites’ onboard electronics, were found in nearly one-third of the dataset’s images.
“Starlink is currently the most immediate and consistent source of interference for radio astronomy,” Grigg said. “During just the four months of our study, SpaceX launched 477 new satellites. The sheer scale of the constellation means their signals are hard to ignore.”
The interference is especially problematic because the emissions occur in frequency bands meant to be free of artificial signals. Notably, 703 satellites were detected emitting at 150.8 MHz — a frequency protected for exclusive use in radio astronomy.
“These are not intentional transmissions,” Grigg explained. “They’re stray emissions from satellite electronics, which makes them unpredictable and difficult for astronomers to filter out. That unpredictability is what makes them so damaging.”
While Starlink — a global satellite internet service developed by SpaceX — is not violating any international regulations, the findings highlight significant regulatory gaps. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which governs the use of the radio spectrum globally, currently only oversees intentional transmissions, leaving such unintended emissions unregulated.
CIRA Executive Director and co-author Professor Steven Tingay said the findings underscore the need for updated international policy.
“Starlink isn’t breaking any rules. The issue is that the rules don’t cover this kind of interference,” Professor Tingay said. “We’ve had constructive discussions with SpaceX, and we hope this study supports ongoing efforts to modernise global regulations.”
Tingay emphasized the need for a balanced approach that allows both advanced satellite technologies and deep space research to coexist.
“We’re on the cusp of a scientific revolution. The SKA will explore the universe’s greatest mysteries — from the formation of the first stars to the nature of dark matter and gravity,” he said. “But radio astronomy depends on quiet skies. If we lose that, we lose the ability to ask those fundamental questions.”
The study serves as a call to action for global policymakers, regulators, and the space industry to better understand and manage the unintended consequences of satellite mega-constellations.
“We fully recognise the enormous benefits of global satellite internet, particularly for remote and underserved communities,” Tingay added. “But this technology needs to be deployed with care. The future of space science depends on it.”
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