Sh36fjk374fjc t1_j24ujwo wrote on December 29, 2022 at 5:53 PM

Reply to comment by hawklost in SpaceX launches 54 upgraded Starlink internet satellites and nails rocket landing at sea in 60th flight of the year by ovirt001

Interesting points! Idk though, this NASA dude mentioned above thought it was quite possible.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome

Edit: “On average one satellite is destroyed by collision with space junk each year.[22][24] As of 2009 there had been four collisions between catalogued objects, including a collision between two satellites in 2009.[4].”

Sounds like it is more than just a probability but a reality.

hawklost t1_j24vbht wrote on December 29, 2022 at 5:58 PM

Yes it is possible. Although the fear is less two satellites crashing into each other and more the fear that a satellite will break up and create thousands of little pieces that could crash into More satellites.

To take the analogy I used before farther.

Now imagine two people Do run into each other, either because one wasn't paying attention or by malicious design. Now picture 1000 hyperactive kids being produced off of that collision. They aren't going to pay attention and will just run around bouncing off the walls, jumping between buildings as they want.

Yes, some will leave the buildings altogether, but many will be around due to orbital dynamics (not getting into that here). So now each person walking around has to watch for other people, And screaming children who don't pay attention (literally can't they aren't self driving).