Ultra-dark Vantablack satellite set to launch in 2026 to combat Starlink light pollution crisis
By isabelle // 2025-06-19
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  • A UK-led team is launching Jovian-1, a satellite coated in ultra-dark Vantablack 310, to combat worsening light pollution from megaconstellations like Starlink.
  • Satellite light pollution is disrupting astronomy, with SpaceX’s Starlink alone accounting for 60% of active satellites and ruining telescope images.
  • Vantablack 310 absorbs 99.965% of light and could make satellites invisible to the naked eye, offering a potential solution to the crisis.
  • The Jovian-1 mission will test the coating’s durability in space, addressing concerns about overheating and radiation resistance.
  • Astronomers warn unchecked satellite growth threatens science and humanity’s view of the stars, urging regulatory action and dark-sky protections.
In a bid to preserve humanity’s view of the cosmos, a UK-led research team is preparing to launch a groundbreaking satellite coated in Vantablack 310 — a material so dark it absorbs 99.965% of light. The shoebox-sized cubesat, named Jovian-1, is scheduled for launch in 2026 as a potential solution to the escalating crisis of satellite light pollution, which astronomers warn is drowning out the stars. With private megaconstellations like SpaceX’s Starlink flooding low-Earth orbit (LEO) with over 14,900 satellites — a number projected to exceed 100,000 within 50 years — this innovation could be a lifeline for ground-based telescopes struggling to peer through the glare.

The light pollution crisis

For decades, astronomers have relied on pristine dark skies to study distant galaxies, supernovae and planetary movements. But the unchecked proliferation of shiny, reflective satellites has turned the night into a flickering minefield of artificial light. The problem is dire: SpaceX’s Starlink alone accounts for 60% of all active satellites, and their reflective surfaces already disrupt optical observatories worldwide. Worse, newer satellites, like China’s "Thousand Sails," exceed even the faintest brightness limits recommended by astronomers. The consequences are measurable. The upcoming $1.9 billion Vera Rubin Observatory, set to begin operations soon, expects up to 40% of its images to be ruined by satellite streaks. "Over the past five years, humankind has launched more satellites into space than it has done over the previous 60 years," said Noelia Noël, an astrophysicist at the University of Surrey. "It’s a real problem for astronomy."

A blacker-than-black solution

Enter Vantablack 310, a space-hardened variant of the famously light-absorbing material developed by Surrey NanoSystems. Unlike earlier versions, which relied on fragile carbon nanotubes, this new coating blends carbon black with durable binders to withstand extreme temperature swings and cosmic radiation. "Our latest coating technology offers super-black performance across a wide range of viewing angles, while remaining robust to the challenging LEO environment," said Kieran Clifford, a senior technologist at Surrey NanoSystems. The Jovian-1 mission will test the coating’s real-world performance. One side of the cubesat’s solar panel will be painted with Vantablack 310, and researchers will monitor its reflectivity from the ground. If successful, the material could reduce satellite brightness to magnitude 7, which is invisible to the naked eye, compared to Starlink’s glaring magnitude 3-5. While hull-darkening tackles light pollution, other megaconstellation threats remain. Radio interference, space debris collisions, and atmospheric metal pollution from burning satellites still loom large. SpaceX’s past attempts to darken satellites yielded mixed results, with some overheating from absorbed sunlight. But Clifford insists Vantablack 310 avoids these pitfalls: "We conducted tests simulating three years in orbit... our coating withstood it with negligible changes." The project also highlights a growing divide between corporate space ambitions and scientific preservation. "Satellites are an amazing technology, but we also want to make sure the sky remains accessible to everyone," Noël added. With megaconstellations expanding unchecked, regulatory pressure may mount. The International Astronomical Union has already called for dark-sky protections, and innovations like Vantablack could force policymakers to act. The Jovian-1 mission represents a critical step toward balancing technological progress with cosmic stewardship. As satellite numbers explode, the window to protect astronomy and the natural night sky is closing. If Vantablack 310 delivers, it could offer a scalable, affordable fix to a crisis threatening both science and the primal human connection to the stars. Could a tiny black cubesat defend the heavens? Sources for this article include: LiveScience.com Space.com IFLScience.com
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