Documents / Report
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office issued this information paper in December 2024 on how sunlight reflecting off Starlink and other Low Earth Orbit satellites can be mistaken for UAP. It explains the difference between diffuse and specular reflection, Starlink trains, and flares, and it gives a step-by-step method for predicting flare windows. The method is shown with AARO photographs taken near Sidney, Nebraska, and applied to a 2022 airline pilot report near Gallup, New Mexico. AARO concluded that the lights in that report were very likely satellite flares.
All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) 18 Acronyms Acronym Definition AARO All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office LEO Low Earth Orbit LOS Line of Sight UAP Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena References [1] J. C. McDowell, "The Low Earth Orbit Satellite Population and Impacts of the SpaceX Starlink," The Astrophysical Journal Letters, p. L36, 2020. [2] R. Tousey, "VISIBILITY OF THE VANGUARD SATELLITE," in NRL Participation in the CSAGI Rocket and Satellite Conference, September 30-October 5, 1957, CA, OTS, U.S., Department of Commerce, 1959, p. 125. [3] SpaceX, "starlink.com," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://api.starlink.com/public- files/BrightnessMitigationBestPracticesSatelliteOperators.pdf. [4] N. D. James, "Iridium Satellites Light Up The Sky," Journal of the British Astronomical Association, vol. 108, no. 4, pp. 187-188, 1998. [5] "Sky News," 1 12 2022. [Online]. Available: https://news.sky.com/story/starlink-elon-musks- satellites-to-beam-high-speed-broadband-to-remote-areas-of-uk-in-government-trial- 12759097. [6] J. Hsu, "New Scientist," 4 10 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394949-starlink-carbon-footprint-up-to-30-times-size- of-land-based-internet/. [7] AARO, "Canon EOS Rebel T7 f/1.8 10.0 sec exposure, ISO-800, 18mm focal length, no flash, compulsory, Sigma Lens 210-101, manual focus, auto white balance.," 2023. [8] M. Boucher, "Space Ref," [Online]. Available: https://spaceref.com/science-and- exploration/spacex-publishes-update-on-starlink-satellite-brightness-issue/. [9] J. C. McDowell, "The low earth orbit satellite population and impacts of the SpaceX Starlink constellation," The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 892, no. 2, p. L36, 2020. [10] S. M. B. A. C. &. R. H. Lawler, "Visibility predictions for near-future satellite megaconstellations: latitudes near 50 will experience the worst light pollution," The Astronomical Journal, vol. 163, no. 1, p. 21, 2021. [11] A. C. &. B. M. Boley, "Satellite mega-constellations create risks in Low Earth Orbit, the atmosphere and on Earth," Scientific Reports (Nature), vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-8, 2021.
Report, from the aaro collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 19 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.