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.

Astronomers are raising concerns over SpaceX's Starlink V2-mini satellites, which are leaking more radio waves than earlier models. This unintended radiation is interfering with radio astronomy, impacting the ability to study faint cosmic signals from the distant universe.

This problem is only getting worse as SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, continues to launch dozens of new satellites each week. The unintended emissions from these satellites may even exceed international limits for interference, which could have serious implications for future radio astronomy.

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.