▲ 942 ▼ A million new SpaceX satellites will destroy the night sky — for everyone on Earth (news.ubc.ca) submitted 7 months ago by Beep@lemmus.org to c/technology@lemmy.world 213 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 1 point 7 months ago (5 children) Won't they just become space debris and remain in orbit? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 5 child comments replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago (4 children) They'd last as debris for about 5 years before falling. Atmospheric drag among other things causes orbital decay that cause them to eventually fall to earth without adjustments. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world -1 points 7 months ago (3 children) The unfortunate thing about debris falling from space is that it could hit you or me and we could get killed. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 4 points 7 months ago (2 children) They're too small and fast for that. They burn up in the atmosphere. Larger space debris on a different trajectory can, but not LEO communication satellites. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 child) Well there's still chances it wouldn't burn fast enough... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago (4 children) They'd last as debris for about 5 years before falling. Atmospheric drag among other things causes orbital decay that cause them to eventually fall to earth without adjustments. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world -1 points 7 months ago (3 children) The unfortunate thing about debris falling from space is that it could hit you or me and we could get killed. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 4 points 7 months ago (2 children) They're too small and fast for that. They burn up in the atmosphere. Larger space debris on a different trajectory can, but not LEO communication satellites. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 child) Well there's still chances it wouldn't burn fast enough... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Betchisan@lemmy.world -1 points 7 months ago (3 children) The unfortunate thing about debris falling from space is that it could hit you or me and we could get killed. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 4 points 7 months ago (2 children) They're too small and fast for that. They burn up in the atmosphere. Larger space debris on a different trajectory can, but not LEO communication satellites. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 child) Well there's still chances it wouldn't burn fast enough... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 4 points 7 months ago (2 children) They're too small and fast for that. They burn up in the atmosphere. Larger space debris on a different trajectory can, but not LEO communication satellites. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Betchisan@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 child) Well there's still chances it wouldn't burn fast enough... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Betchisan@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 child) Well there's still chances it wouldn't burn fast enough... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 point 7 months ago You're not wrong. They're designed to burn up completely but there have already been failures and documented cases of 2.5kg pieces hitting the ground. The FAA predicts at current trajectories we're looking at about 1 person hit every 2 years by stray debris. And it's only going to get worse the more they launch. permalink fedilink source parent