GREENBANK, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a new agreement with AST SpaceMobile to help protect ground-based astronomy from potential interference caused by satellites in low Earth orbit.
Since 2019, the NSF has worked closely with satellite companies to reduce the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy. This new partnership with AST SpaceMobile builds on that effort, aiming to protect valuable radio, optical, and infrared observations made by U.S. astronomy facilities.
AST SpaceMobile, which is developing a space-based cellular broadband network in partnership with AT&T, is already working with the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia to prevent interference through a specially engineered low-power antenna system at Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort.
What’s in the Agreement?
The new coordination agreement includes several key efforts:
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Reducing interference from AST’s large satellites, particularly signals that could affect ground-based radio telescopes.
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Following International Astronomical Union (IAU) guidelines, including making satellites less bright, keeping them below 700 km altitude, and sharing precise orbital data to help astronomers avoid satellite interference during observations.
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Developing public software tools (via NSF’s NOIRLab) to help predict where and when satellites will be visible in the night sky.
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Studying how lasers used by astronomy facilities could affect AST’s satellites—and adjusting policies if needed.
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Working with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) to prevent harm from satellite-to-cell signals and ensure they don’t damage sensitive equipment.
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Planning with NSF’s Office of Polar Programs to protect remote polar astronomy sites if AST SpaceMobile expands service to those regions.
Why It Matters
As more satellites are launched into low Earth orbit, astronomers are raising concerns about how these bright and powerful systems affect research. The NSF hopes this agreement will strike a balance between technological innovation and scientific discovery.
“NSF is working with commercial satellite companies to help ensure continued U.S. leadership in the scientific exploration of the universe,” said Chris Smith, interim director of NSF’s Division of Astronomical Sciences. “We also want to sustain the significant economic benefits and jobs that are created by NSF’s observatories in the many states and communities that host them.”
This collaboration is part of a broader push to keep the skies “dark and quiet” for researchers while allowing space-based technology, like global internet and cellular networks, to expand responsibly.
