Discover How Vantablack Paint Could Revolutionize Space Exploration – Jalopnik

Six years ago, BMW unveiled a car covered in Vantablack. The coating absorbed most of the light, making it almost invisible. Recently, Surrey NanoSystems, the creator of Vantablack, announced a practical use for this unique material. They are tackling the issue of satellite reflectivity, which can disrupt ground-based astronomical observations.

The company is now partnering with the University of Surrey to apply Vantablack 310 on the Jovian 1 CubeSat. This new version is designed for better handling and durability. According to Space.com, this variant only reflects 2% of light, a slight increase from the original version that reflected less than 0.1%. This could help astronomers as satellites continue to multiply in orbit.

Since SpaceX launched Starlink in 2019, its satellites have become a challenge for astronomers. Over 7,500 satellites are currently in low Earth orbit, reflecting sunlight and creating streaks in telescope images. SpaceX plans to expand this constellation to 42,000 satellites, worsening light pollution.

Dr. Keiran Clifford from Surrey NanoSystems explained, “The proliferation of satellite constellations is expected to bring huge societal benefit in technology areas including global communication and remote sensing. Unfortunately, the current brightness of these satellites severely disrupts ground-based astronomy.”

While Vantablack 310 can reduce light pollution from satellites, it doesn’t address all environmental concerns. The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy noted that Starlink satellites emit radiation that can interfere with radio telescopes. Furthermore, these satellites contribute to ozone layer depletion when they burn up in the atmosphere. Moving towards sustainable solutions is crucial, but we still have a long way to go.