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Supercomputers simulated the orbits of 1 million satellites between Earth and the moon — and less than 10% survivedResearchers used a pair of powerful supercomputers to simulate the potential trajectories of 1 million satellites in a cislunar orbit between Earth and the moon. Less than 10% of these orbits remained stable throughout the simulations, but this is not as disastrous as it may sound.
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Thousands of dams in the US are old, damaged and unable to cope with extreme weather. How bad is it?Dams in the U.S. are showing signs of damage that are worsening with age and climate change. Could satellites help prioritize repairs amid budget and inspection constraints?
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Orbiting satellites could start crashing into one another in less than 3 days, theoretical new 'CRASH Clock' revealsResearchers have proposed a theoretical timepiece, dubbed the "CRASH Clock," which tells us how quickly satellites would start colliding if they lost the ability to avoid each other, such as during a powerful solar storm. And its value is rapidly decreasing.
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Tractor beams inspired by sci-fi are real, and could solve the looming space junk problemResearchers are developing a real-life tractor beam, with the goal of pulling defunct satellites out of geostationary orbit to alleviate the space junk problem.
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Secretive SpaceX satellites operated by US government are shooting disruptive radio signals into space, astronomer accidentally discoversAn amateur astronomer has accidentally uncovered a series of puzzling radio signals coming from SpaceX's government-operated "Starshield" network. The signals overlap with protected frequencies and could disrupt other nearby spacecraft, experts warn.
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Earth's magnetic field has a weak spot — and it's getting bigger, putting astronauts and satellites at riskThis could be bad news for satellites and spacefarers.
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The next Carrington-level solar superstorm could wipe out 'all our satellites,' new simulations revealNew ESA simulations suggest that a solar storm on par with the 1859 Carrington Event could wreak havoc on Earth-orbiting satellites — and it is a question of "when," not "if" this will happen, experts say.
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SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation is interfering with radio telescope observationsAstronomers have long voiced concerns about Starlink's satellite constellation interfering with observations of the universe, and a new survey by Curtin University confirms those fears.
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'City killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 could shower Earth with 'bullet-like' meteors if it hits the moon in 2032There is currently a 4.3% chance that the giant space rock 2024 YR4 will hit the moon in seven years. If this does happen, debris from the nuclear bomb-like impact could trigger a "spectacular" meteor shower that will endanger Earth-orbiting satellites.
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