Six ways satellites make the world a better place

Satellites impact our lives in many different ways, and some of these may surprise you.

Ciara McGrath, Research Fellow, Electronic And Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde • conversation
Feb. 8, 2021 ~8 min

Virgin Orbit launched a rocket from a plane - here's how

Ten small satellites were launched from 11km above Earth's surface.

Simon Lindsay, Researcher in the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester • conversation
Jan. 29, 2021 ~7 min


High school students discover exoplanets during mentoring program

High schoolers discover four exoplanets through the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian mentorship program.

Nadia Whitehead • harvard
Jan. 28, 2021 ~6 min

Thousands more satellites will soon orbit Earth – we need better rules to prevent space crashes

The shift toward mega-constellations is a challenge for global space governance.

Lauren Napier, PhD Researcher in Space Law and Policy, Northumbria University, Newcastle • conversation
Jan. 28, 2021 ~7 min

Thousands of ocean fishing boats could be using forced labor – we used AI and satellite data to find them

Forced labor is a widespread problem in fisheries on the high seas. Between 2012 and 2018, an estimated 100,000 people may have been victims of forced labor on thousands of different boats.

Gavin McDonald, Senior Project Researcher, University of California Santa Barbara • conversation
Dec. 21, 2020 ~8 min

Mini-satellite maker

With her students, aerospace engineer Kerri Cahoy is developing small, affordable “CubeSats” to monitor weather and search for exoplanets.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office • mit
Nov. 17, 2020 ~9 min

A 4G network on the Moon is bad news for radio astronomy

Radio telescopes are incredibly sensitive to phone network interference.

Emma Alexander, PhD Candidate in Astrophysics, University of Manchester • conversation
Oct. 23, 2020 ~6 min

AI counts 1.8 billion trees in Sahara Desert

There are more trees in the West African Sahara Desert that you might think, according to a study that used artificial intelligence and satellite imagery.

Maria Hornbek-Copenhagen • futurity
Oct. 22, 2020 ~6 min


5G may lead to less accurate weather forecasts

5G wireless networks will improve phone service and make communications a whole lot faster. But 5G could also screw up weather forecasts, researchers say.

Todd Bates-Rutgers • futurity
Sept. 25, 2020 ~4 min

Cold War spy satellite captures threat to marmots

When an American pilot went down over the Soviet Union in the 1960s, the US launched a spy satellite. Its data now helps monitor the bobak marmot.

Ida Eriksen-U. Copenhagen • futurity
Aug. 6, 2020 ~4 min

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