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This is my biggest civilization-level fear, that we'll mess up and end up with a situation like the opening of Seveneves, full Kessler-effect https://www.space

This is my biggest civilization-level fear, that we'll mess up and end up with a situation like the opening of Seveneves, full Kessler-effect https://www.space.com/23039-space-junk-explained-orbital-debris-infographic.html https://www.space.com/23039-space-junk-explained-orbital-deb... How can we reduce the probability of this going forward? Is tracking and maneuvering enough?

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
foxyv 7y ago
Kessler can be mitigated by a civilization capable of launching enough mass. Pretty much all you need is to cancel out the angular momentum of existing debris. It would just cost a lot. However right now with our regulatory environment Kessler is not likely. Starlink is very low orbit and they decay without power in a matter of months if not weeks. Also every satellite launched is required to have a deorbit plan or a plan to move it to a parking orbit if it's a geostationary satellite.