Starlink Generation 2 Mini Satellites: Photometric Characterization

TL;DR

This study provides a detailed photometric analysis of Starlink Generation 2 Mini satellites, revealing they are fainter than Gen 1 despite larger size, with brightness mitigation significantly reducing their apparent luminosity.

Contribution

It offers the first comprehensive photometric characterization of Gen 2 Mini satellites and quantifies the effectiveness of brightness mitigation measures.

Findings

Gen 2 Mini satellites are fainter than Gen 1 despite larger size.

Brightness mitigation reduces satellite luminosity by a factor of 12.

Mean apparent magnitude in brightness mitigation mode is 7.06.

Abstract

Starlink Generation 2 Mini satellites are fainter than Gen 1 spacecraft despite their larger size. The mean of apparent magnitudes for satellites in brightness mitigation mode is 7.06 +/- 0.10. When these magnitudes are adjusted to a uniform distance of 1,000 km that mean is 7.87 +/- 0.09. The brightness mitigation mode reduces distance-adjusted satellite luminosity by a factor of 12 relative to spacecraft that are not mitigated.