Humanity Star
Flare of Humanity Star as seen from Victoria, Australia
Mission typePublic awareness
COSPAR ID2018-010F
SATCAT no.43168
Mission durationPlanned: 9 months
Final: 2 months, 1 day
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerRocket Lab
Launch mass10.5 kg (23 lb)
Dimensions≈1 m (3 ft)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date21 January 2018, 01:43 (2018-01-21UTC01:43) UTC[2]
RocketElectron
Launch siteRocket Lab LC-1
ContractorRocket Lab
End of mission
DisposalOrbital re-entry
Decay date22 March 2018, 13:15 (2018-03-22UTC13:16) UTC[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimePolar
Semi-major axis5,756.8 km (3,577.1 mi)
Eccentricity0.014107
Perigee altitude283.4 km (176.1 mi)
Apogee altitude474.0 km (294.5 mi)
Inclination82.9°
Period92.1 min
Epoch12 February 2018, 01:53:56 UTC[4]
 

Humanity Star was a reflective passive satellite designed to produce visible, pulsing flares. The satellite was launched into orbit by an Electron rocket on 21 January 2018 and entered into the atmosphere on 22 March 2018. The reaction to Humanity Star was mostly negative by astronomers, as it interfered with their observations.

Design

Humanity Star was designed to produce flares visible from Earth.[1] The satellite was shaped like a geodesic sphere about 1 metre (3 ft) in diameter, with its 76 reflective panels on the shape make it looks similar to a large disco ball. It is made out of carbon fiber and weigh 10.5 kilograms (23 lb).[5] According to Rocket Lab, Humanity Star was meant to be "a bright symbol and reminder to all on Earth about our fragile place in the universe".[6]

Launch and orbit

Humanity Star was launched on 21 January 2018 at 01:43 UTC from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, located on the Māhia Peninsula of New Zealand.[2][7] It orbited the Earth every 92 minutes in a polar orbit of approximately 290 by 520 km (180 by 320 mi) in altitude.[4] According to Rocket Lab, the satellite's orbit was expected to decay after nine months, eventually burning up completely in Earth's atmosphere.[8] However, the satellite re-entered several months early on 22 March 2018 at about 13:15 UTC.[3] The quick entry could be caused by the Humanity Star's low density, amplifying atmospheric drag effects.[5]

Because of its highly reflective surface, Rocket Lab claimed that Humanity Star could be seen by the naked eye from the surface of the Earth. Its apparent brightness was estimated to be magnitude 7.0 when half illuminated and viewed from a distance of 1,000 kilometres (620 mi), while its maximum brightness was estimated to be magnitude 1.6.[2] The satellite was most likely to be visible in the night sky at dawn or dusk.[9] Its orbit could be tracked by Heavens-Above[4] and the satellite's website.[10]

Analysis

Initial reactions by astronomers were negative, since reflective objects in orbit interferes with astronomical observations.[11][12] It has been described as an act of vandalism of the night sky, space graffiti,[13] a "publicity stunt"[14][15] and "glittery space garbage".[16] Others however argue that flares by existing satellites and the ISS are much brighter than Humanity Star.[17]

Alice Gorman postulates that Humanity Star and Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster are statements with very different but related messages: while Humanity Star may be seen as promoting a unifying vision and the Roadster as a reminder of inequality, "each tells the story of [human] attitudes to space at a particular point in time."[18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Rand, Lisa Ruth (26 January 2018). "Space-Spotting: How To See Humanity Star and Other Objects in Orbit". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Peat, Chris (27 January 2018). "Humanity Star - Satellite Information". Heavens-Above. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Decay Data: Humanity Star". Space-Track. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Peat, Chris (12 February 2018). "Humanity Star - Orbit". Heavens-Above. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 Koren, Marina (20 March 2018). "The Controversial 'Humanity Star' Is Coming Back to Earth Early". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "A Star for Humanity". The Humanity Star. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  7. ↑ Ashton, Andrew (25 January 2018). "Maori 'chuffed' to host launch of Star Rocket Lab's new Humanity Star". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Rocket Lab's secret launch revealed as 'Humanity Star' resembling giant disco ball". Newshub. 25 January 2018. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Shepherd, Simon (25 January 2018). "How to see Rocket Lab's 'Humanity Star'". Newshub. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "Track". The Humanity Star. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  11. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (24 January 2018). "'Disco ball' put into space from NZ". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  12. ↑ Sergal, Michael (25 January 2018). "Astronomer Ian Griffin says Rocket Lab and Peter Beck have 'vandalised the night' with satellite". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  13. ↑ McGowan, Michael (26 January 2018). "'Space graffiti': astronomers angry over launch of fake star into sky". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  14. ↑ Scharf, Caleb A. (25 January 2018). "Twinkle, Twinkle, Satellite Vermin". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  15. ↑ Caron, Christina (28 January 2018). "Is This Shiny Satellite Sky Art or 'Space Graffiti'?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  16. ↑ Sheridan, Kate (26 January 2018). "Rocket Lab's 'Humanity Star' widely mocked on social media as glittery space garbage". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  17. ↑ King, Bob (31 January 2018). "Humanity Star: Bright Idea or Dark Sky Nemesis?". Sky & Telescope. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  18. ↑ Gorman, Alice (7 February 2018). "A sports car and a glitter ball are now in space – what does that say about us as humans?". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.

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