EMS – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Astronomers, Satellite Internet Provider Develop New System to Share the Sky

Astronomers learn about the universe by pointing their telescopes to the sky. But what happens when a satellite comes between them and the cosmological objects they hope to study? New cooperative work between the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) and SpaceX shows a way to share this finite resource between radio astronomers and industry.

Protecting ALMA’s Skies

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), renowned for observing the cosmos’s darkest and most distant corners, has taken a…

NRAO and SpaceX Coordinate to Protect Radio Astronomy

NRAO and SpaceX have engaged in coordinated experiments involving NRAO telescopes and the Starlink satellite constellation for over two years. Early experiments began in late 2021 with the deployment of working Starlink user terminals near the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico and have continued to the present day. These experiments highlight the ways in which satellite constellations and radio telescopes might be able to coexist, provided there is mutual awareness of what the other is doing.

Jesse Alexander WB2IFS, Ham Radio and the EMS Project Lead, and three learners from the Wave 1 cohort at the HamSCI.org citizen science conference

NRAO First Wave Completed 20 Weeks of Amateur Radio Learning Program for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ Learners

Following a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the National Science Foundation‘s (NSF’s) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) launched a two-year project to engage BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ learners in learning about the electromagnetic spectrum and discovering the excitement of ham radio. The project, Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) with Amateur Radio, offered its first learner-facing training in January 2023.

NSF and SpaceX Finalize Radio Spectrum Coordination Agreement

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and SpaceX have finalized a radio spectrum coordination agreement to limit interference from the company’s Starlink satellites to radio astronomy assets operating between 10.6 and 10.7 GHz. The agreement, detailed in a .statement released by NSF today, ensures that Starlink satellite network plans will meet international radio astronomy protection standards, and protect NSF-funded radio astronomy facilities, including the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Green Bank Observatory (GBO). The agreement will also positively impact collaborations and cooperation between SpaceX and NSF’s NOIRLab.

NRAO Expands Radio Dynamic Zone Testing with Support from NSF

Following a generous grant from the National Science Foundation’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative (SII), NSF’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) will expand efforts to establish and support the co-existence of research and commercial entities across the radio spectrum.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.