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Can we just flag these stories since there's only two opposing things to say 1. Little African Johnnie who's sister just died of dysentery because they couldn'

Can we just flag these stories since there's only two opposing things to say 1. Little African Johnnie who's sister just died of dysentery because they couldn't call around for help from lack of infrastructure doesn't care that rich astronomers can't take pictures. 2. Capitalism is once again polluting our society.

tetris11 6y ago
Case closed, problem solved - next story please, we won't need to worry about this one again
loopback_device 6y ago
> because they couldn't call around for help from lack of infrastructure there are other places than low earth orbit for infrastructure
- aaron695 6y ago
  So you've been so busy curing dysentery and tuberculosis that you haven't done it yet, but you were coincidentally going to start this week so Elon and Bezos can stop now? If people find their humanity and build the alternative infrastructure the satellites will just fall out of the sky pretty quick due to their short lifespan and low orbit. You've just done 2. and I replied 1. in a pointless conversation. QED
  - felbane 6y ago
    This is a fair point, once there is no longer a need for these satellites they will fall out of orbit, self-immolate in the atmosphere, and we can simply not replace them. It's a worthwhile tradeoff, in my opinion, to inconvenience a branch of science that's unlikely in the near term to produce research that immediately benefits humanity. Conversely, projects like Starlink solve an immediate problem (access to communication infrastructure in underdeveloped areas) and are sufficiently designed to account for the eventuality of their purpose expiring. These satellites were never meant to be permanent fixtures in the sky. Astronomers complaining about streaks in the sky seems a bit like a retiree complaining that the new hospital they're building across the lake ruins the view from his kitchen window.

tetris11 6y ago

Case closed, problem solved - next story please, we won't need to worry about this one again

loopback_device 6y ago

> because they couldn't call around for help from lack of infrastructure there are other places than low earth orbit for infrastructure

aaron695 6y ago
So you've been so busy curing dysentery and tuberculosis that you haven't done it yet, but you were coincidentally going to start this week so Elon and Bezos can stop now? If people find their humanity and build the alternative infrastructure the satellites will just fall out of the sky pretty quick due to their short lifespan and low orbit. You've just done 2. and I replied 1. in a pointless conversation. QED
- felbane 6y ago
  This is a fair point, once there is no longer a need for these satellites they will fall out of orbit, self-immolate in the atmosphere, and we can simply not replace them. It's a worthwhile tradeoff, in my opinion, to inconvenience a branch of science that's unlikely in the near term to produce research that immediately benefits humanity. Conversely, projects like Starlink solve an immediate problem (access to communication infrastructure in underdeveloped areas) and are sufficiently designed to account for the eventuality of their purpose expiring. These satellites were never meant to be permanent fixtures in the sky. Astronomers complaining about streaks in the sky seems a bit like a retiree complaining that the new hospital they're building across the lake ruins the view from his kitchen window.