Speaker
Description
Planning and construction of non-geostationary satellite constellations providing communications/data has exploded in the past several years. The use of spectrum by these systems is constrained by international treaty and domestic agencies, with attempts to coordinate existing and future users at both centimeter and millimeter radio wavelengths underway. Radio astronomy is a key activity supported by spectrum regulations, and the potential impacts of ngso constellations on our single-antenna and interferometers are a significant concern to the scientific community. To address these issues, NRAO has embarked on a series of test observations with SpaceX involving their early satellite system, the Green Bank Telescope and the Jansky Very Large Array. In this talk I will review the radio astronomy concerns about satellite communications, and present the initial results from our testing. Future initiatives including spectrum sharing, and spatial/frequency coordination of the operations of the astronomy and satellite systems, will be explored.
