Context:
Observations of the BlueWalker 3 prototype satellite show it is one of the brightest objects in the night sky, outshining all but the brightest stars.
About BlueWalker 3:
- A prototype satellite of a satellite constellation
- Launched in 2022 by – AST SpaceMobile (U.S.-based company)
- Objective – To deliver mobile or broadband services anywhere in the world.
- It has the largest commercial antenna system deployed in low Earth orbit.
- It is a predecessor to planned commercial satellites called BlueBirds.
- It successfully relayed its 1st 5G connection to a smartphone in a cellular coverage gap on Earth.
Concerns with BlueWalker 3:
- Bluewalker 3’s big size and shiny surfaces might cause problems for astronomers. The satellite’s light could be confused with stars or make it hard to see faint objects in space.
- Because of its large size, the satellite could cover a part of the night sky, making it tough for astronomers to study some things.
- Bluewalker 3 sends out signals on radio frequencies that are close to what radio astronomers use. This could make it difficult for radio telescopes to do their work.
The North Star has a magnitude of plus-2 whereas BlueWalker 3 registered as bright as plus-0.4 with respect to the glow.
Other Satellite Constellation Projects:
- OneWeb (ISRO & UK’s OneWeb Group)
- BlueBirds satellites (AST SpaceMobile)
- Starlink network (SpaceX)
- Project Kuiper (Amazon): Falls under Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin
- Loon Project (Google): To create an aerial wireless network using high-altitude balloons
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
“The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft.” The experiment in question refers to
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) Voyager-2
(b) New horizons
(c) Lisa Pathfinder
(d) Evolved LISA
Answer: (d)
