New super-black paint could fix satellite light pollution problem
British researchers are working to solve the problem of Elon Musk's reflective satellites by painting them black.
A new partnership between Surrey NanoSystems and the University ofSurrey is aiming to tackle what has become a major concern for astronomers worldwide.
They are working on using Surrey NanoSystems's newest product, Vantablack 310, which is a super-black coating.
When Vantablack 310 is applied to a surface, it reflects only 2% of incoming light, meaning it absorbs the remaining 98%.
This high level of light absorption makes the coated surfaces appear extremely dark, helping to minimise the unwanted brightness from satellites that can disrupt the work of stargazers.
More than 8,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites already orbit Earth, and projections estimate a rise to 60,000 by 2030, partly driven by the development of mega-constellations.
To combat this problem, satellite operators have begun experimenting with mitigation strategies, including dark coatings and changes to satellite position, though the negative impact on ground-based measurement persists.
Surrey NanoSystems, with a heritage in ultra-black technologies, says their new solution, Vantablack 310, is a handleable, customer-applied coating, resistant to the challenging LEO environment.
The technology will be trialled on the Jovian 1 mission, scheduled to launch in 2026, which will be the first satellite mission from JUPITER – the Joint Universities Programme for In-Orbit Training, Education and Research.
One side of a shoebox-sized CubeSat will be coated with Vantablack 310, marking the first UK-led initiative to explore solutions for reducing satellite brightness.
The initiative aims to not only improve space sustainability but also demonstrate the efficacy of Vantablack 310 as a hull-darkening solution.
Dr. Keiran Clifford, Senior Technologist and project lead at Surrey Nanosystems, said: "Our latest coating technology, Vantablack 310, offers super-black performance across a wide range of viewing angles, while remaining robust to the challenging LEO environment.
"We're proud to be working with our partners at the University of Surrey to deliver innovations in the satellite sector, ensuring sustainable and equitable access to a night sky for all."
Researchers from the University of Surrey are developing ways to evaluate the experiment from Earth.
The post New super-black paint could fix satellite light pollution problem appeared first on Talker.
Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Billionaire Tim Draper has a blunt response to Elon Musk's new political party
Exclusive: Billionaire Tim Draper has a blunt response to Elon Musk's new political party originally appeared on TheStreet. Elon Musk's surprise launch of the 'America Party' sent fresh shockwaves through crypto markets. After declaring on X that the movement would "embrace Bitcoin' because 'fiat is hopeless,' Bitcoin spiked to almost $110,000. Venture capitalist Tim Draper says Elon Musk's newly launched America Party could inject long-needed innovation into U.S. politics. 'I love America because people can innovate in every way possible,' Draper told TheStreet Roundtable in a conversation with host Alp Gasimov and Roundtable CEO and founder James he added, was 'frustrated that he couldn't get anything done within Washington' because lawmakers and regulators 'throw up lawyers and judges and whatever in your face every time you try to do something good.' 'I think he's showing that frustration, and I think it's potentially very exciting,' Draper continued. 'Hopefully this administration will be able to do some of the things that he's hoping to do.' Draper argued that the 'pendulum is swinging back to capitalism, and that is a real positive for the world.' Socialism, he said, 'doesn't work, never has, in no place ever.' Citing Sweden as an example, he claimed the Nordic nation's economy 'goes flatline' whenever it leans socialist, only to recover once capitalist policies return. 'At least the world is moving back to capitalism,' Draper said. 'I think Elon's on a mission to shrink the federal government and try to get rid of that debt, and I wish he could.' Pressed on how to reduce the ballooning federal deficit, Draper offered 'a bunch of little ideas,' starting with linking government pay to economic output: 'You tie their bonuses to GDP growth and to how efficiently they have run.'He also urged capping Congress to a fixed pool of money, saying lawmakers should 'vote for shares of that budget rather than just unlimited spending,' and argued that a president should be able to shutter obsolete agencies at will: 'you can actually eliminate the entire department as president, you don't have to go through the courts.' Draper conceded there is 'not a quick solution' but insisted these steps would make 'a huge impact on our government and our debt.' Exclusive: Billionaire Tim Draper has a blunt response to Elon Musk's new political party first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 8, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared. Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
Wall Street Journal
34 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot Publishes Series of Antisemitic Posts
Grok, the flagship chatbot behind Elon Musk's fledgling artificial intelligence company xAI, published a number of antisemitic posts Tuesday, its second flurry of controversial responses to users in recent months. In a series of viral posts, Grok started to call itself 'MechaHitler.' The chatbot suggested that an account called @Rad_Reflections was a person named Cindy Steinberg, who was celebrating the death of dozens of children who went missing at Camp Mystic in Texas because of her last name.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on July 7, 2025
Ever wonder why the moon looks different every night? Well, that's because of a thing called the lunar cycle. This is a recurring series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days (according to NASA), and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. The moon is always there, but what we see on Earth changes depending on how much it is lit up. See what's happening with the moon tonight, July 6. What is today's moon phase? As of Monday, July 7, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. From Earth, 89% of the moon will appear visible (according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation). This is the 12th day of the lunar cycle, and the moon is so close to being full. Some of the most notable things to spot with your bare eye tonight are the Aristarchus Plateau, the Mare Serenitatis, and the Mare Tranquillitatis. With binoculars, you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Posidonius Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Clavius Crater. Add a telescope and you'll also spot Apollo 17, Fra Mauro Highlands, and Caucasus Mountains. When is the next full moon? This month's full moon will take place on July 10. The last full moon was on June 11. What are moon phases? Moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon's orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle: New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye). Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere). First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon. Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet. Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible. Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit. Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
