Author(s)
Samuel The, Frank D. Lind, Daniel Sheen, and Aleks Pop Stefanija
Abstract
The rapid expansion of space-based telecommunication services, through large satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit (LEO), is transforming global connectivity. These networks promise substantial benefits for remote regions, enabling access via ground antennas or even direct transmission to mobile devices. At the same time, many of these remote areas host radio telescopes, which rely on minimal exposure to man-made radio frequency interference (RFI) to preserve the sensitivity of their observations. As satellite deployments continue to increase, observatory sites face growing exposure to RFI, since astronomical signals are inherently many orders of magnitude fainter than those used in communication. Both intentional and unintentional satellite emissions are challenges for radio astronomy, requiring strategies that allow scientific observations to coexist with these systems. An additional concern is the unavoidable interactions between telescope sidelobes and emissions from multiple satellites. In this work, we present efforts to adapt the 18.3 m Westford telescope to survey radio frequency interference (RFI) from satellite mega-constellations in protected radio astronomy bands, specifically at 10.69 GHz and 1.42 GHz. At 10.69 GHz (near the Starlink downlink frequency), these observations can be performed with Westford in isolation, while in the 1.42 GHz band it is operated simultaneously with a second telescope for improved confidence in detections. The data products from these experiments will include spectrograms of observed Starlink satellite transits.