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<10K isn't the problem. It's when that 10K becomes much, much larger because of an unforeseen collision with an unrelated spacecraft/piece of space junk. It onl
by Rooster61 8y ago
<10K isn't the problem. It's when that 10K becomes much, much larger because of an unforeseen collision with an unrelated spacecraft/piece of space junk. It only takes one big collision to utterly litter that particular orbit, and thousands of slightly different orbits caused by the new trajectories of the various bits of the original spacecraft.
- ALurchyBeast 8y agoSo whats your solution? Never put a bunch of satellites in space?
- penagwin 8y agoHe's not necessarily saying he know's a solution, just that such a problem should be considered. Satellites do collide - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_satellite_collision https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_satellite_collision The idea of satellite collisions and space junk is an actual concern https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome . Sure a few washing machines in space isn't a big concern. Now imagine a few collide, hundreds of bits and bolts flying around earth, at unknown trajetories, at thousands of miles per hour.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- ceejayoz 8y agoThere are a variety of potential mitigations. Legal requirements that satellites deorbit or park in a safe orbit before going dark, technology like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.Deorbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.Deorbit to capture and deorbit large chunks, better tracking of orbital debris, etc.