5 ms·
do you realise how small one satellite is?
by donkarma 5y ago
do you realise how small one satellite is?
- frayesto 5y agowell, the kessler syndrome [1] is a real phenomenon and has real consequences. More satellites == more debris == high probability of collisions which can create a positive feedback loop. It requires real management and processes ahead of time, not after the fact. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome
- tengbretson 5y agoWhat about it is a real phenomenon at this point?
- onion2k 5y agoIf they're comparable with Starlink satellites they're 1/4 of a ton each, and made of a lot of parts that could fragment on impact. That's small in satellite terms, but you wouldn't want to try to pick one up.
- bryanlarsen 5y agoWhen a satellite collides with a different satellite in the same orbit, none of the parts move to a higher energy orbit, and most move to a lower energy orbit. Given that the original orbit is 380 miles, almost all fragments will immediately deorbit due to atmospheric drag.
- Aachen 5y agoWait, starlink sats are 250kg? Given their number and all they have to do is forward some packets (no big equipment like a telescope), I kinda figured they'd be a few kilos each, like a bit more fancy than a cubesat.
- onion2k 5y agoI'm actually a little out of date - the newest ones are about 300kg. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink