A group of astronomers is speaking out about the impact of a large satellite designed to connect directly with mobile phones.
In a Monday statement, the International Astronomical Union Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (IAU) said that the AST SpaceMobile BlueWalker 3 prototype satellite is now one of the brightest objects in the night sky – outshining all but the brightest stars.
In addition, the scientists warned that the use of terrestrial radio frequencies poses a "new challenge to radio astronomy."
"BlueWalker 3 is a big shift in the constellation satellite issue and should give us all reason to pause," Piero Benvenuti, the director of the IAU CPS, said in a statement.
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The satellite, which serves as a "cell phone [tower] in space," was launched into low Earth orbit in September and has a nearly 700-square-foot antenna system.
It will transmit strong radio waves at frequencies reserved for terrestrial cell phone communications.
"These orbiting transmitters, which are not subject to the same radio quiet zone restrictions as ground-based cellular networks, have the potential to severely impact radio astronomy research as well as geodesy studies and space-physics experiments," the IAU said, noting that it had recently penned a letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling on it to seriously consider the potential impacts of satellite constellations on astronomy, the appearance of the night sky and the environment.
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IAU said conversations with AST SpaceMobile had started and led to some mitigation measures.
AST SpaceMobile said that BW3 is the largest-ever commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit.
Fox News Digital's request for comment from AST SpaceMobile was not returned.
