Why in the News?

An international team of scientists has recently published a paper that explains how the prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite has affected the field of astronomy.

About the BlueWalker 3 satellite:

• The BlueWalker 3 satellite is a prototype that's part of a constellation owned by AST SpaceMobile.
• Launched in September 2022, it's notable for being one of the brightest objects in the night sky, even outshining the brightest stars.
• This satellite represents the largest-ever commercial communications array in low-Earth orbit, specifically designed to directly communicate with cellular devices at 5G speeds using 3GPP standard frequencies.
• Interestingly, the satellite operates at wavelengths close to those observed by radio telescopes, which could potentially interfere with radio astronomy.