Researchers Cut Satellite Reflectivity to 2% With Vantablack 310 as LEO Fleet Tops 14,000
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 12
Researchers Cut Satellite Reflectivity to 2% With Vantablack 310 as LEO Fleet Tops 14,000
3 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jul 12
Summary
Vantablack 310 cut simulated satellite reflectivity to 2%, with modeled brightness ranging from magnitude 6.7 to 7.8 in lab-based orbital tests.
That worst-case 6.7 result nearly meets the International Astronomical Union’s magnitude-7 recommendation and is far dimmer than the 3.7 recorded for an uncoated SpaceX satellite in the same study.
Physics models showed brightness still varies by orbit and background—satellites reflect more over snow than open ocean—while electron-microscope images linked the coating’s light trapping to coral-like surface cavities.
More than 14,000 satellites already orbit in low Earth orbit, and researchers say the growing fleet is increasingly disrupting ground-based astronomy.
An upcoming Jovian-1 CubeSat mission will test whether the coating’s lab performance holds up in orbit, including durability, thermal behavior and real-world brightness measurements.
This ultra-black paint absorbs light, but could the intense heat it creates fry a satellite's electronics?
Is painting satellites black a real solution, or a band-aid on the unregulated crowding of space?
Could making satellites nearly invisible create a new orbital hazard from untrackable space junk?
Vantablack 310’s 2026 Space Debut: A New Standard for Reducing Satellite Light Pollution
Overview
The upcoming orbital test of Vantablack 310 marks a major step in tackling the growing problem of satellite light pollution. With over 14,900 satellites already in orbit and numbers expected to rise sharply due to private megaconstellations like Starlink, astronomers are struggling with increased interference in their observations. The Jovian-1 CubeSat will carry Vantablack 310 into space to test its ability to reduce satellite brightness, aiming to protect ground-based astronomy. This experiment could lead to new standards for satellite design, helping to preserve our view of the night sky as satellite numbers continue to climb.