Researchers are doing location determination on Earth via Starlink satellites

Researchers at the University of California have developed a way to pinpoint a location on Earth using captured signals from Starlink satellites. The technique would yield an accuracy of about eight meters.

The team reportedly operated independently of SpaceX and had no access to data sent from Starlink satellites to users on Earth. The researchers did rely on the signals that the satellite transmits and on the location data of the satellites released every day by the North American Organization for Defense of the Airspace.

An algorithm was then applied to this data that allowed the researchers to determine the speed and expected location of the Starlink satellites. Those locations were then used as a basis to determine the location on Earth with an accuracy of about eight meters.

The ever-growing network of low-earth orbit satellites has a lot of potential to serve as a navigation system, according to the researchers. “Compared to the traditional satellite navigation system, these satellites are closer to the earth. This should provide a more reliable connection. The satellites are also operated by different companies, each operating a different frequency, which leads to diversity in terms of frequencies,” he said. the.

Render Starlink satellite