SpaceX's new Starlink satellites are so radio noisy that they could blind radio astronomy observatories to the universe's most intriguing phenomena, scientists say.

Riding atop a fuel cell filled with a million pounds of liquid kerosene, SpaceX launched 21 Starlink communications satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 6:45 p.

SpaceX launched 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with Direct to Cell technology, into low-earth orbit on Friday, Sept. 20, from Space Launch Complex 4 East. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 6:50 a.

The excess radio emissions from Starlink satellites threatens to hinder observations through radio telescopes, astronomers in Europe say.

Satellite swarms orbiting the Earth are leaking more radiation into protected wavelength bands than ever. In fact, the second generation of Starlink satellites – known as the v2mini and v2mini Direct-to-Cell versions – are leaking up to 32 times more radiation than their predecessor.

V2 sats beam 10M times brighter noise, hampering telescopes The second generation of Starlink satellites being lobbed into orbit by SpaceX might not reflect as much sunlight as the old ones, yet astronomers say they're leaking up to 32 times the unintended radio waves instead.