The starry sky is in danger. Thousands of satellites, especially those of the constellation Starlink From SpaceX, the zebra of light streaks, threatening to spoil our nights and make astronomy impossible from the ground. But scientists have a daring plan, worthy of a science fiction film: to make the satellites invisible by painting them with the darkest material ever created, the Vantablack.
What is this “invisible satellite” project?
The idea is simple: if a satellite does not reflect sunlight, it does not shine in the sky. To test this hypothesis, a consortium of British universities (the project JUPITER) will launch in 2026 a small satellite the size of a shoe box, called Jovian-1. Its particularity? One of its faces will be covered with a new version of the famous painting Vantablack. The goal will be to follow this satellite From the earth to see if the coating actually makes it much more difficult to detect and if it resists the extreme conditions of the space.
How does the Vantablack work, this “absolute black”?
The Vantablack is not a classic painting. It is a coating made up of millions of carbon nanotubes aligned vertically. This structure acts as a real “light trap”. When the light photons enter this nanotubes “forest”, they are trapped and their energy is converted into heat, so that almost no light is reflected. The version that will be tested in space, the Vantablack 310was specially designed by the company Surrey NanoSystems To be more robust and capable of supporting thermal shocks and radiations of terrestrial orbit.
Is this the miracle solution to satellite pollution?
For the light pollutionyes, it is a very promising solution. If the test is conclusive, it could inspire new regulations forcing mega-constellation operators to make their satellites more discreet. As the Dr hope Noelia Christmasastrophysicist at the University of Surrey, “I hope that with this new solution, we could inspire politics changes”. However, you should not scream victory too quickly. This painting will not solve the other major problems posed by the proliferation of satellites: pollution of radio waves which hinders radio stakes, the growing risk of collisions and spatial debris, and metallic pollution of the high atmosphere when satellites disintegrate at the end of life.
For more info
Why do satellites pollute the sky?
Because their solar panels and their metal carcasses act like gigantic mirrors. In low orbit, they are still lit by the sun even when the night fell to the ground. They reflect this light towards us, creating shiny streaks which “photobomb” the images of the telescopes and increase the general brightness of the night sky.
What is Vantablack?
This is the trade name of a class of ultra-black coverings developed by the British company Surrey NanoSystems. It is famous for being one of the darkest materials created by humans, capable of absorbing up to 99.965% of the visible light, giving the impression of looking at a black hole.
When will this test take place?
The launch of Cubesat “JOVIAN 1”, who will embark the painting Vantablack 310 For this test in real conditions, is currently scheduled for the current of 2026.
