Spider_pig448 t1_jae09zw wrote on February 28, 2023 at 7:27 PM

Reply to comment by Pigs_in_the_Porridge in We need more rules for space junk and moon bases, NASA and US officials say by DevilsRefugee

Kessler syndrome is mostly a thought experiment, similar to the possibility of a nuclear chain reaction igniting the atmosphere. Space junk in LEO isn't a huge concern, partially because LEO is already unburdened by the early space age and all the waste created from it.

Pigs_in_the_Porridge t1_jae12be wrote on February 28, 2023 at 7:32 PM

What do you know that the world's space agencies don't? They have publicly expressed concern about space junk in LEO making some orbits, like those around 400 miles or so, unusable at some point in the future. Chinese and Russian ASAT tests have added thousands of pieces of debris. Just saying it's not an issue is not in the least convincing.

Spider_pig448 t1_jae1yz9 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 7:38 PM

It is an issue. ASAT tests and cyber attacks in particular are huge concerns for space debris generation. Regular generation of space junk per launch is decreasing a lot though. Check out ESA's environmental report from last year (https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Debris/ESA_s_Space_Environment_Report_2022). Almost every rocker body is successfully clearing LEO these days, and half of all payloads are being successfully de-orbited after end of mission.