5 ms·
At the rate we are going with quantities of satellites and orbiting space junk we just might get new rings due to the Kessler Syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org
by while_true_ 2y ago
At the rate we are going with quantities of satellites and orbiting space junk we just might get new rings due to the Kessler Syndrome
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome
- Aeium 2y agoThere is a disproportionate amount of LEO satellites in polar orbits. Particularly morning time sun-synchronous polar orbits. If everything in that orbit (the most crowded one) starts kessler syndroming it up, I think all the junk would mostly stay in polar orbits? Can any orbital dynamics experts confirm? I was kind of just adjacent to that area in a job previously.
- Vecr 2y agoProbably? I don't think masscons are big enough of an influence, but what timescales are you talking about?
- yencabulator 2y agoThe Starlink satellites have a design lifespan of about 5 years and will reenter the atmosphere relatively quickly even if not actively maneuvering, simply by virtue of being so close to Earth.