BlueWalker 3, an enormous and bright communications satellite, is genuinely alarming astronomers
Thursday, 01 December 2022 17:14![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![Trail from BlueWalker 3 above Kitt Peak telescope in Arizona. Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/IAU/SKAO/NSF/AURA/R. Sparks BlueWalker 3, an enormous and bright communications satellite, is genuinely alarming astronomers](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2022/bluewalker-3-an-enormo.jpg)
The night sky is a shared wilderness. On a dark night, away from the city lights, you can see the stars in the same way as your ancestors did centuries ago. You can see the Milky Way and the constellations associated with stories of mythical hunters, sisters and journeys.
But like any wilderness, the night sky can be polluted. Since Sputnik 1 in 1957, thousands of satellites and pieces of space junk have been launched into orbit.
For now, satellites crossing the night sky are largely a curiosity. But with the advent of satellite constellations—containing hundreds or thousands of satellites—this could change.
The recent launch of BlueWalker 3, a prototype for a satellite constellation, raises the prospect of bright satellites contaminating our night skies. At 64 square meters, it's the largest commercial communications satellite in low Earth orbit—and very bright.
Pollution of the night sky
Cognitive Space hires retired general as strategic advisor
Thursday, 01 December 2022 14:30![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screenshot-2022-12-01-at-4.12.29-AM-300x155.png)
Cognitive Space, a startup based in Houston, Texas, announced Dec. 1 that retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Aaron Prupas has joined the company as a strategic advisor.
The post Cognitive Space hires retired general as strategic advisor appeared first on SpaceNews.
AST SpaceMobile plots $86 million share sale
Thursday, 01 December 2022 13:23![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/bluewalker2-300x169.jpg)
AST SpaceMobile said Nov. 30 it could raise more than $86 million from selling a chunk of shares as the company looks to accelerate its direct-to-smartphone constellation plans.
The post AST SpaceMobile plots $86 million share sale appeared first on SpaceNews.
China ready to implement moon landing project
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/chang-e-5-robotic-probe-plants-china-national-flag-moon-lunar-surface-bg.jpg)
Pulsar Fusion funded by the UK Govt to construct a nuclear based space engine
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/pulsar-fusion-hot-fire-test-bg.jpg)
Artemis I Flight Day 15 - Team Polls "Go" For Distant Retrograde Orbit Departure
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/artemis-orion-record-distance-earth-flight-day-11-bg.jpg)
China's six astronauts in two missions make historic gathering in space
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/china-tiangong-shenzhou-14-15-crews-six-astronauts-bg.jpg)
Eutelsat selects Thales Alenia Space to build a new flexible software-defined satellite
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/eutelsat-satellite-logo-marker-bg.jpg)
Communications system achieves fastest laser link from space yet
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/nasa-cubesat-tbird-marker-bg.jpg)
ONERA acquires two satellite platforms from NanoAvionics for its nanosat FlyLab mission
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/nanoavionics-cubesat-6u-tabletop-fabrication-bg.jpg)
Geologist studies asteroids and moondust to decode the history of the solar system
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/purdue-michelle-thompson-moon-rocks-glove-box-bg.jpg)
Kayhan Space awarded grant to develop autonomous collision avoidance capabilities in space
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/kayhan-space-logo-bg.jpg)
AWS successfully runs AWS compute and machine learning services on an orbiting satellite
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/de-orbital-devices-marker-bg.jpg)
AST SpaceMobile announces pricing of upsized $75M public offering of Class A common stock
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/ast-spacemobile-logo-bg.jpg)
Arianespace supporting the European Union's Copernicus program with Vega C
Thursday, 01 December 2022 11:35![](/plugins/content/jlexcomment/assets/icon.png)
![](https://www.spxdaily.com/images-bg/vega-c-inaugural-flight-bg.jpg)