Speaker
Description
The recent addition of large constellations of medium-sized satellites to LEO, and the near-term availability of new launch capabilities (e.g. SpaceX Starship) is indicative of a trend towards a greater number of larger-sized satellites that would be detrimental to dark-sky preservation efforts, and problematic for ground-based astronomy.
Light curve simulators, originally developed for the non-resolved characterization of space debris, are the ideal tools for improving our understanding of artificial light pollution from satellites and space debris, and exploring spacecraft design and operational strategies that mitigate these impacts.
In this talk we present Lumi-LBS, our tool capable of simulating full-spacecraft Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Functions (BSDFs), and suggest strategies for combating artificial light pollution that don’t compromise trackability. Additionally we present Blink, a satellite-aware shutter for astronomical observatories.
