5 ms·

leaving a toxic mess is a repeated part of Musk's plan with each business it's always privatize the profits, socialize the costs he's doing the same thing wit

by ck2 1y ago

leaving a toxic mess is a repeated part of Musk's plan with each business it's always privatize the profits, socialize the costs he's doing the same thing with Starlink which is going to vaporize many thousands of toxic satellites out of LEO into the atmosphere https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-space-orbit-satellites-pollution/ https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-space-orbit-satellit... imagine what he's going to do on the Moon or Mars

add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
The worst thing about space exploration is that it's not fun and optimistic like it was before this specific 2020s phase of capitalism, the best thing is that this crop of billionaires will all be dead before the real cool future stuff could happen anyway.
- measurablefunc 1y ago
  They're planning to live forever. All of them are investing in longevity research & some of them are young enough to live to see a few breakthroughs that might meaningfully extend their lifespan.
- wood_spirit 1y ago
  Dictators discuss life-extending organ transplants https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1w9z72r6o.amp https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1w9z72r6o.amp
- Larrikin 1y ago
  Xi and Putin were caught on a hot mic talking about swapping out their organs with fresh ones. I assume from their local political enemies.
  - ceejayoz 1y ago
    This is getting downvoted, probably because it sounds like a loony conspiracy theory... but it isn't. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hot-mic-picks-up-putin-xi-discussing-organ-transplants-immortality-2025-09-03/ https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hot-mic-picks...
    - throwawaygmbno 1y ago
      Why assume it's people who can't Google down voting and not Russian and Chinese plants. There's all kinds of topics on here that trigger a down voting campaign that works pretty well on non top comments.
      - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
        > not Russian and Chinese plants “Please don't post insinuations about astroturfing, shilling, brigading, foreign agents, and the like. It degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about abuse, email hn@ycombinator.com and we'll look at the data.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
      > This is getting downvoted “Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - ceejayoz 1y ago
        There's a significant difference between "waaah meanies downvoting" and "no really folks, this is an actual thing".
        deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
  - indigoabstract 1y ago
    To be honest, what can you talk about when you're a big shot dictator and your conversation partner is an even bigger dictator than you are? The weather? Or the latest invasion that you've launched? That's probably boring, so it's a tricky situation.
- _ea1k 1y ago
  It actually is fun and optimistic.
jvanderbot 1y ago
That is a very deceptive video/article (at least the first half above the paywall). It is true that a few of these sats will have to come down each day, but the video is of a booster failure/explosion, not a normal planned obsolescence sat re-entry. And re-entry is part of the cleanup plan. All satellites responsibly launched need a plan to deal with possible orbital waste. By decommissioning in this way, we're reducing overall impact of the constellation. Given the immense possible good worldwide internet can provide, and the virtuous cycle it creates for the US launch industry, it's really hard to take these claims seriously.
- youngtaff 1y ago
  > And re-entry is part of the cleanup plan Polluting the upper atmosphere with copper, aluminium and other compounds with unknown consequences is hardly a cleanup plan
  - ftchd 1y ago
    if you combine all the fallen starlink satellites and the debris/waste they produce in a year, it comes down to about less than 0.1% of what the earth receives from space in the same year
    - BriggyDwiggs42 1y ago
      Is that true? I recall seeing a 16% or so number for the increase in mass burning up in the atmosphere. Edit: I can’t find a source for any number for the increase. If you know could you share one? Ah nevermind this seems solid https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117720307663?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S02731...
      - jvanderbot 1y ago
        100 tons/day from NASA https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/asteroid-fast-facts/ https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/asteroid-fast-fa...

by ck2 1y ago

add-sub-mul-div 1y ago

The worst thing about space exploration is that it's not fun and optimistic like it was before this specific 2020s phase of capitalism, the best thing is that this crop of billionaires will all be dead before the real cool future stuff could happen anyway.

measurablefunc 1y ago
They're planning to live forever. All of them are investing in longevity research & some of them are young enough to live to see a few breakthroughs that might meaningfully extend their lifespan.
wood_spirit 1y ago
Dictators discuss life-extending organ transplants https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1w9z72r6o.amp https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1w9z72r6o.amp
Larrikin 1y ago
Xi and Putin were caught on a hot mic talking about swapping out their organs with fresh ones. I assume from their local political enemies.
- ceejayoz 1y ago
  This is getting downvoted, probably because it sounds like a loony conspiracy theory... but it isn't. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hot-mic-picks-up-putin-xi-discussing-organ-transplants-immortality-2025-09-03/ https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hot-mic-picks...
  - throwawaygmbno 1y ago
    Why assume it's people who can't Google down voting and not Russian and Chinese plants. There's all kinds of topics on here that trigger a down voting campaign that works pretty well on non top comments.
    - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
      > not Russian and Chinese plants “Please don't post insinuations about astroturfing, shilling, brigading, foreign agents, and the like. It degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about abuse, email hn@ycombinator.com and we'll look at the data.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - JumpCrisscross 1y ago
    > This is getting downvoted “Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.” https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - ceejayoz 1y ago
      There's a significant difference between "waaah meanies downvoting" and "no really folks, this is an actual thing".
      - deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
- indigoabstract 1y ago
  To be honest, what can you talk about when you're a big shot dictator and your conversation partner is an even bigger dictator than you are? The weather? Or the latest invasion that you've launched? That's probably boring, so it's a tricky situation.
_ea1k 1y ago
It actually is fun and optimistic.

jvanderbot 1y ago

That is a very deceptive video/article (at least the first half above the paywall). It is true that a few of these sats will have to come down each day, but the video is of a booster failure/explosion, not a normal planned obsolescence sat re-entry. And re-entry is part of the cleanup plan. All satellites responsibly launched need a plan to deal with possible orbital waste. By decommissioning in this way, we're reducing overall impact of the constellation. Given the immense possible good worldwide internet can provide, and the virtuous cycle it creates for the US launch industry, it's really hard to take these claims seriously.

youngtaff 1y ago
> And re-entry is part of the cleanup plan Polluting the upper atmosphere with copper, aluminium and other compounds with unknown consequences is hardly a cleanup plan
- ftchd 1y ago
  if you combine all the fallen starlink satellites and the debris/waste they produce in a year, it comes down to about less than 0.1% of what the earth receives from space in the same year
  - BriggyDwiggs42 1y ago
    Is that true? I recall seeing a 16% or so number for the increase in mass burning up in the atmosphere. Edit: I can’t find a source for any number for the increase. If you know could you share one? Ah nevermind this seems solid https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273117720307663?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S02731...
    - jvanderbot 1y ago
      100 tons/day from NASA https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/asteroid-fast-facts/ https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/asteroid-fast-fa...