Alright, let's dive into this Starshield situation. SpaceX, building spy satellites for the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office), is now facing questions after some signals were found transmitting in unexpected frequency bands.
The Curious Case of the Errant Signals
Scott Tilley, a researcher up in British Columbia, stumbled upon these signals. He found about 170 Starshield satellites sending signals in the 2025–2110 MHz band. Now, this band is supposed to be used for Earth-to-space communications. These signals are going the wrong way.
Tilley notes this creates potential interference. Picture trying to listen to a faint signal from a satellite when a bunch of other satellites are blasting away on the same frequency. Not ideal. According to US spy satellites built by SpaceX send signals in the “wrong direction”, these signals are going the wrong way.
Who uses this frequency band? NASA, NOAA, and even TV news broadcasters with satellite trucks. That's a lot of potential for crossed wires and garbled data. The article mentions no public complaints have been filed, but that doesn't mean interference isn't happening, just that nobody's yelling about it yet.
The lack of transparency is what really gets me. The US government isn't exactly known for its open-door policy when it comes to, well, anything, but this feels like a particularly opaque situation. Why are these signals being emitted? What's their purpose? And why weren't they coordinated with international spectrum regulators?
This isn't just about technical glitches; it's about trust and international cooperation. If the US government is going to be launching constellations of satellites, it needs to play by the rules. Otherwise, we risk creating a free-for-all in space, where everyone is jamming everyone else's signals.
A Second Launch and the Sea Level Story
Meanwhile, SpaceX did successfully launch the Sentinel-6B satellite. This is part of a $1 billion international mission (split between the US and Europe) to monitor rising sea levels. The Falcon 9 booster, serial number B1097, made its third flight and landed safely. This marks the 500th flight of a previously flown Falcon 9 booster. That's a milestone worth noting.
Sentinel-6B will measure sea heights with radar accurate down to about an inch across 90% of the world's oceans. The data will be used for navigation, weather forecasting, and protecting coastal infrastructure.
The article notes that mission officials avoided mentioning climate change, aligning with the Trump administration's policies. (Yes, even in 2025, the shadow of that era lingers.) The funny thing is that the data collected could be used to study rising sea levels and climate change. Live Coverage: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch international satellite to keep watch on rising sea levels – Spaceflight Now provided live coverage of the launch.
Musk vs. Aliens: The 3I/ATLAS Saga
And then there's Elon Musk, weighing in on the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS and the theory that it might be an alien spaceship. (Spoiler alert: it's not.)
Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb floated the idea that it could be an alien spacecraft using the Sun to conceal a maneuver. Most of the scientific community dismissed this, and Musk quickly shot down the speculation on Joe Rogan's podcast.
Musk stated that if he had any evidence of aliens, he would reveal it on Rogan's show. He also corrected Rogan on the nickel content of comets, pointing out that nickel-rich asteroids and comets are common.
It's a bit of a sideshow, but it highlights how easily space-related news can get hijacked by speculation and conspiracy theories.
Is Someone Asleep at the Wheel?
So, what's the through-line here? It's a mix of technological progress, potential regulatory oversights, and the ever-present allure of extraterrestrial explanations. The Starshield signal issue raises serious questions about spectrum management and transparency. Was this an oversight, a deliberate act, or something in between?
The Sentinel-6B launch is a reminder of the important work being done to monitor our planet. But the climate change elephant in the room can't be ignored.
And the 3I/ATLAS saga? Well, that's just a reminder that even the world's richest man can't resist weighing in on a good alien conspiracy theory.