Mapping the upper atmosphere with public Starlink satellite data
Researchers at Kyoto University have developed a new method to visualize thermospheric air density using publicly available orbital data from Starlink satellites. This technique helps address the challenge of monitoring the upper atmosphere, which is crucial for satellite collision avoidance and space engineering.
Why it matters
As low Earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded, accurate atmospheric density data is vital for preventing satellite collisions and managing space traffic.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source A world first achievement: successful tomographic analysis of thermospheric air density from starlink satellite orbital data. Credit: KyotoU / Mamoru Yamamoto The space around Earth is becoming increasingly crowded, with thousands of satellites and pieces of debris now sharing low Earth orbit. Even above this region—at altitudes of several hundred kilometers—the extremely thin upper atmosphere can slow satellites, making accurate information on atmospheric density essential for predicting satellite motion and preventing collisions.
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