Hacker News with Generative AI: Satellites

The Sun is killing off SpaceX's Starlink satellites (newscientist.com)
Eruptions from the sun are shortening the lives of satellites in Earth orbit, particularly large constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink – which could be both beneficial and a cause for concern.
Space Exploration, Satellites, Solar Activity, SpaceX, Starlink
6 points by HR01 30 days ago | 1 comments
The sun is killing off SpaceX's Starlink satellites (newscientist.com)
Eruptions from the sun are shortening the lives of satellites in Earth orbit, particularly large constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink – which could be both beneficial and a cause for concern.
SpaceX, Starlink, Space Weather, Satellites, Technology
14 points by hubraumhugo 31 days ago | 2 comments
Elon Musk Battled Apple over Satellite Features (macrumors.com)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been embroiled in a battle with Apple over its satellite connectivity features, according to The Information.
Elon Musk, Apple, Satellites, Technology, Business
9 points by MBCook 31 days ago | 2 comments
Do these Buddhist gods hint at the purpose of China's super-secret satellites? (arstechnica.com)
Until recently, China's entries in the realm of spaceflight patches often lacked the originality found in patches from the West.
Buddhism, China, Spaceflight, Satellites, Military
6 points by rbanffy 40 days ago | 0 comments
Largest database of nanosatellites, over 4400 nanosats and CubeSats (nanosats.eu)
World's largest database of nanosatellites, over 4400 nanosats and CubeSats
Space, Databases, Satellites, Nanosatellites
12 points by ohjeez 41 days ago | 1 comments
China Makes High-Speed Laser Links in Orbit (ieee.org)
A commercial Chinese firm has demonstrated ultrafast data laser transmission between two satellites, marking a step forward for the country’s communications megaconstellation plans.
Space Technology, China, Communications, Satellites
6 points by pseudolus 45 days ago | 0 comments
Germany is building spy satellites to help Ukraine watch Russia without the US (euromaidanpress.com)
Germany is building spy satellites to help Ukraine watch Russia without the US
Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Satellites, Espionage
23 points by srameshc 46 days ago | 1 comments
Satellite will have to be turned off when it floats over the US (thecooldown.com)
Determined to measure how much carbon Earth's forests capture, the European Space Agency and Airbus have developed the Biomass satellite.
Space, Environment, Climate Change, Satellites
19 points by howard941 47 days ago | 15 comments
Cosmos-482 descent craft re-entry prediction (blogs.esa.int)
On 10 May, an uncontrolled reentry will take place of the so-called Cosmos-482 descent craft, a Soviet Venera landing capsule that launched 53 years ago.
Space, Re-entry, Satellites
26 points by _kb 49 days ago | 5 comments
Kosmos 482 Descent Craft reentry forecasts (blogspot.com)
In the second week of May 2025, an unusual object will reenter. It concerns the Kosmos 482 Descent Craft (1972-023E, cat. nr. 6073).
Space, Satellites, Reentry
8 points by Luc 49 days ago | 0 comments
Failed Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 could crash to Earth this week (livescience.com)
Space Exploration, Satellites, Space Debris, History
4 points by Brajeshwar 51 days ago | 0 comments
Within 15 years, plummeting satellites could alter winds, temps in stratosphere (noaa.gov)
Estimates suggest satellite debris could rival the amount of naturally occurring meteor dust in the atmosphere by 2040.
Space Debris, Climate Change, Atmosphere, Satellites
8 points by layer8 53 days ago | 1 comments
Falling satellites put the atmosphere at risk (bloomberg.com)
Daily life increasingly depends on systems of satellites orbiting Earth. As fleets proliferate, ever greater numbers of expired units will hurtle back toward the surface.
Space, Environmental Risk, Technology, Satellites
14 points by namanyayg 55 days ago | 0 comments
We know a little more about Amazon's satellites (arstechnica.com)
The first production satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband network launched earlier this week, but if you tuned in to the mission's official livestream, the truncated coverage had the feel of a spy satellite launch.
Space Exploration, Satellites, Amazon, Broadband
112 points by pseudolus 56 days ago | 113 comments
Fuzzy images are our first look at Amazon's super-secret satellites (arstechnica.com)
The first production satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband network launched earlier this week, but if you tuned in to the mission's official livestream, the truncated coverage had the feel of a spy satellite launch.
Space Exploration, Amazon, Satellites, Broadband
36 points by NN88 56 days ago | 6 comments
Incinerating thousand of Satellites in the atmosphere releases toxic pollutants (bloomberg.com)
Daily life increasingly depends on systems of satellites orbiting Earth. As fleets proliferate, ever greater numbers of expired units will hurtle back toward the surface.
Space Debris, Environmental Issues, Satellites
19 points by ck2 56 days ago | 2 comments
Russian satellite at centre of nuclear weapons claims is spinning out of control (theguardian.com)
A secretive Russian satellite in space that US officials believe is connected to a nuclear anti-satellite weapons program has appeared to be spinning uncontrollably, suggesting it may no longer be functioning in what could be a setback for Moscow’s space weapons efforts, according to US analysts.
Space Weapons, Russia, Satellites, International Relations, Military
8 points by c420 62 days ago | 2 comments
There's a secret reason the Space Force is delaying the next Atlas V launch (arstechnica.com)
Last week, the first operational satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband network were minutes from launch at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
Space Exploration, Military, Amazon, Satellites, Delays
6 points by 01-_- 67 days ago | 0 comments
Oldest Satellite Has Been in Space for 67 Years. Engineers Want to Bring It Home (gizmodo.com)
An awkward-looking, spherical satellite the size of a grapefruit launched in March 1958, and was boosted into a high elliptical orbit. The satellite, named Vanguard-1, was a test of launch capabilities during the early days of the historic space age. Other satellites of its time have reentered through Earth’s atmosphere, burning up in a fiery death, but Vanguard-1 is still in orbit, silently zooming through the void of space.
Space Exploration, Satellites, History
15 points by bradac56 69 days ago | 5 comments
FCC chair calls EU satellite strategy 'anti-American' (telecomstechnews.com)
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has urged EU nations to reevaluate their satellite strategy amid concerns about relying on Starlink for services.
FCC, EU, Satellites, International Relations, Regulation
8 points by speckx 73 days ago | 2 comments
Secretive Russian military satellites release mystery object into orbit (space.com)
Space, Russia, Military, Satellites
9 points by andrewfromx 85 days ago | 0 comments
Parcae Ocean Surveillance Satellites (thespacereview.com)
On April 30, 1976, an Atlas F rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying a new type of satellite into space.
Space, Satellites, History
12 points by mandevil 87 days ago | 0 comments
European Gaia mapping satellite is retired but proves tough to kill (theregister.com)
The last commands have been sent to the ESA's Gaia satellite and, after a dozen years scanning the galaxy, the spacecraft is shutting down its computers and boosting out into a retirement orbit around the Sun.
Space Exploration, Astronomy, Satellites, Europe
6 points by rntn 88 days ago | 1 comments
Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 (spaceinafrica.com)
Botswana’s first satellite, BOTSAT-1, was successfully launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9—Transporter 13 rideshare mission on Saturday, March 15, 2025, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base, USA.
Space Exploration, Satellites, Botswana, SpaceX
395 points by vinnyglennon 93 days ago | 225 comments
China is testing experimental 'dogfighting' satellites in space, US general says (businessinsider.com)
China is testing experimental satellites capable of performing complex coordinated space maneuvers, a US Space Force general said this week.
Space, China, Military, Satellites
4 points by bentobean 97 days ago | 1 comments
Five Chinese satellites practiced 'dogfighting' in space, Space Force says (breakingdefense.com)
US “near peer” adversaries are “practicing dogfighting” in space to simulate orbital combat in yet another step up their wide-ranging effort to develop capabilities to deny, disrupt, degrade and/or destroy US space capabilities, the Space Force’s second in command warned today.
Space, Military, China, Satellites, Space Force
11 points by Ozarkian 99 days ago | 1 comments
US Space Force warns Chinese satellites are 'dogfighting' in space (theregister.com)
China has practiced co-ordinated satellite maneuvers in space that resemble aerial combat, according to a US Space Force General.
Space, Military, China, Satellites
11 points by rntn 100 days ago | 0 comments
Starlink satellite part hit a Canadian farm when it fell from orbit (newscientist.com)
A fragment of an out-of-control SpaceX Starlink satellite smashed into a farm in Canada last year, New Scientist can reveal – raising questions about the risks of de-orbiting space junk.
SpaceX, Space Junk, Canada, Satellites, Accidents
18 points by ironyman 102 days ago | 16 comments
Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) Overview (3gpp.org)
Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) are networks or segments of networks that use either Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating typically between 8 and 50km altitudes, including High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) or satellites in different constellations to carry a transmission equipment relay node or a base station:
Telecommunications, Networks, Satellites, 5G
3 points by teleforce 107 days ago | 0 comments
When Europe needed it most, the Ariane 6 rocket delivered (arstechnica.com)
Europe's Ariane 6 rocket lifted off Thursday from French Guiana and deployed a high-resolution reconnaissance satellite into orbit for the French military, notching a success on its first operational flight.
Space Exploration, Europe, Military, Satellites
57 points by _mitterpach 112 days ago | 13 comments