IAU CPS

"We're actively working with satellite operators to try to find a solution" - Dr John Barentine, CPS Community Engagement Hub co-lead. Astronomers voted to strengthen efforts to protect our dark and quiet skies at the #IAUGA2024 this month. Read about the work taking place across continents in this article featuring experts from our partner organisations 👉 https://loom.ly/8RA8E3c #satellites #DarkAndQuietSkies

NEWS: The US National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a grant to a project led by the IAU CPS to minimise the science impact caused by satellite constellations on astronomical observatories. The project sets out to develop a set of publicly accessible software tools to precisely predict the positions, time of passage and brightness of satellites. 🛰️ The project is part of the CPS SatHub, one of our four hubs, whose work focuses on areas including the development of software, data repositories and training curricula. SKA Observatory NSF NOIRLab Read more: https://loom.ly/eDOE-7w

🔔 Reminder that our CPS sessions start tomorrow at the #IAUGA2024 IAU General Assembly 2024👇

If you're attending the IAU General Assembly 2024 in Cape Town next week, don't miss our session on protecting dark and quiet skies! Join us on 7-8 August to hear the latest developments in technical satellite mitigations for satellite interference,, the development of effective dark and quiet sky policies and the dialogue being had with commercial space operators. Find out more: https://loom.ly/UBw_RUc Don't forget to drop by the The International Astronomical Union stand in the exhibition centre to hear about our work and that of our fellow IAU offices, the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development, IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach and IAU Office of Astronomy for Education. #DarkAndQuietSkies #IAUGA2024

Great to participate in the #ZeroDebris week at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt as European Southern Observatory representative! Kudos to the ESA team for bringing together this diverse community from industry, academia and government to work in improving space sustainability 👏 The importance of this work was really brought home by being able to hold a piece of the Hubble Space Telescope, damaged by debris. My colleague Siegfried Eggl (IAU CPS) and I focused our inputs on concerns relating to dark and quiet skies. ✨ How space debris can contribute to diffuse night sky brightness ✨how space debris reduction technologies should be evaluated for their impacts on dark and quiet skies ✨how many practical aspects of “quiet” skies are NOT dealt with via the current spectrum management system. #spacepolicy #spacesustainability

It's great to see dark and quiet skies being featured at #COPUOS2024 with a side event panel discussion organised by the Permanent Missions of Chile 🇨🇱 and Spain 🇪🇸 scheduled for tomorrow, 20 June in Vienna. Responsible mission planning and operation of satellites in low Earth orbit is of utmost urgency to achieve the preservation of dark and quiet skies, benefiting both the scientific community and society by facilitating high-quality astronomical observations and preserving an invaluable natural and cultural resource. See the full programme here: https://loom.ly/vZujOgI #satellite #DarkAndQuietSkies

🎉 Congratulations to Associate Prof. Aaron Boley, co-lead of our IAU CPS Policy Hub, and Prof. Micheal Byers, both based at the The University of British Columbia who have been awarded The Donner Prize 2023 for their book "Who Owns Outer Space? International Law, Astrophysics and the Sustainable Development of Space". The book touches on several key areas of interest and concern for our community, including the legislation that governs satellite mega-constellations. The Donner Prize recognises the best public policy book by a Canadian in that calendar year. 📹 Watch their acceptance speech: https://loom.ly/rTThW7c Learn more about the IAU CPS Policy Hub's work here: https://loom.ly/KUQYFKY

#NEWS: We have issued our first recommendations paper urging action to address the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy 🛰️. 🔗 Read it here: https://loom.ly/n-5Iw6Y The 30-page paper is the result of 18 months’ work by experts including astronomers, industry representatives and policy advisors. It proposes measures and mitigation strategies for different stakeholders, including calling for satellite operators to adopt voluntary mitigations, and outlines the regulations needed at both the national and international level. NSF's NOIRLab, SKA Observatory, The International Astronomical Union

I was pleased to have facilitated the participation of European Southern Observatory in the development and signature of the European Space Agency - ESA Zero Debris Charter. ❓ Why is an astronomy organisation concerned about space debris, you might ask? ➡ We advocated for the inclusion of protecting dark and quiet skies in the guiding principles of the Zero Debris Charter in order to raise awareness of the responsibilities of space operators. ➡ Protecting the dark sky from excess artificial light and minimising unnecessary radio emissions are requirements for conducting world-leading astronomical observations of faint cosmic sources using ground-based observatories. ➡ Space debris jeopardises astronomical observations by artificially brightening the sky. Additionally, spacecraft - including those possibly used for debris mitigation techniques - can produce interference through the unintended reflection or emission of radiation. We hope that more satellite operators and manufacturers sign up to the principles and continue to increase the standards of space sustainability. 👉 More info here: https://lnkd.in/gtTV9Vui #spacepolicy #spacesustainability #darkandquietskies

Fantastic to see some media coverage of our #DarkandQuietSkies success at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space SpaceNews: https://lnkd.in/daBVzdsm Research Professional: https://lnkd.in/dXcHisPN Even PCMag! https://lnkd.in/dvpYbWZD #spacepolicy #spacelaw