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These satellites are in MEO (1150km) which is relatively sparsely trafficked. Here is a good visualization http://stuffin.space/ http://stuffin.space/ . If you

These satellites are in MEO (1150km) which is relatively sparsely trafficked. Here is a good visualization http://stuffin.space/ http://stuffin.space/ . If you zoom out MEO would be just above the dense sphere of space stuff in LEO. And if you think 4.5k is a lot wait until you hear about phase 2. Thankfully that is in close LEO and without constant propulsion things would deorbit in a matter of weeks. See https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/17/spacex-testing-its-own-satellite-broadband-internet-network.html https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/17/spacex-testing-its-own-satel...

maccam94 9y ago
yeah, from what I've read they will have enough fuel to stay aloft for ~5 years. They won't be a source of permanent space debris.
- oh_sigh 9y ago
  Isn't space debris more about collisions which spew out thousands of tiny bits which are hard to track and may have a ludicrous velocity relative to things they run into? AIUI, large objects a relatively easy to track and avoid if you have the gas and are on a collision course.
  - azernik 9y ago
    Every satellite floating around without maneuvering capabilities is one more chance for that existing tiny debris to hit something and cause a chain reaction.
  - maccam94 9y ago
    The worst kind of space debris sits in orbits outside of the atmosphere where there is negligible drag. Since these satellites will be in very low orbits that require propulsion to stay aloft, any potential debris from collisions or inoperable satellites will fall back to Earth relatively quickly. https://www.nasa.gov/news/debris_faq.html https://www.nasa.gov/news/debris_faq.html
  - Kemschumam 9y ago
    The majority of currently tracked space debris is the result of a single anti-satellite missile test China conducted. So less collisions more weapon based destruction. And any future conflict (between nation's reliant upon gps guided weapons)will likely start with anti-satellite warfare. This worries me greatly.
    - nasredin 9y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_missile_test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi...
kbenson 9y ago
That stuffin.space link is very cool. I'm a little disappointed I couldn't find the moon though. ;)

maccam94 9y ago

yeah, from what I've read they will have enough fuel to stay aloft for ~5 years. They won't be a source of permanent space debris.

oh_sigh 9y ago
Isn't space debris more about collisions which spew out thousands of tiny bits which are hard to track and may have a ludicrous velocity relative to things they run into? AIUI, large objects a relatively easy to track and avoid if you have the gas and are on a collision course.
- azernik 9y ago
  Every satellite floating around without maneuvering capabilities is one more chance for that existing tiny debris to hit something and cause a chain reaction.
- maccam94 9y ago
  The worst kind of space debris sits in orbits outside of the atmosphere where there is negligible drag. Since these satellites will be in very low orbits that require propulsion to stay aloft, any potential debris from collisions or inoperable satellites will fall back to Earth relatively quickly. https://www.nasa.gov/news/debris_faq.html https://www.nasa.gov/news/debris_faq.html
- Kemschumam 9y ago
  The majority of currently tracked space debris is the result of a single anti-satellite missile test China conducted. So less collisions more weapon based destruction. And any future conflict (between nation's reliant upon gps guided weapons)will likely start with anti-satellite warfare. This worries me greatly.
  - nasredin 9y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_missile_test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi...

kbenson 9y ago

That stuffin.space link is very cool. I'm a little disappointed I couldn't find the moon though. ;)