Roll Angle Adjustment Dims Starlink Satellites

Abstract

The brightness of Starlink satellites during orbit parking and orbit raising decreased significantly in 2020 when the operator modified their orientation. The mean apparent magnitude before the change was 3.90 +/- 0.18, while afterward it was 5.69 +/- 0.06. When magnitudes are adjusted to a standard distance of 1,000 km the means are 4.86 +/- 0.16 and 7.31 +/- 0.05. The difference at the standard distance indicates that spacecraft with adjusted roll angles are 90% fainter on average than the earlier ones.