Tag

Space Debri
07
Jan

Viasat Requests FCC Look Into Environmental Impact of SpaceX’s Starlink Constellation

January 7, 2021
Source https://www.satellitetoday.com/broadband/2021/01/04/viasat-requests-fcc-look-into-environmental-impact-of-spacexs-starlink-constellation/ By Rachel Jewett | January 4, 2021 Viasat has taken issue with SpaceX’s request to lower the orbital altitude of its Starlink satellite constellation, and requested the FCC to prepare an environmental impact statement on Starlink.  In an FCC filing on Dec. 22, Viasat outlined its environmental concerns with Starlink and with SpaceX’s request to relocate the satellites to...
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16
Oct

Upper stages top list of most dangerous space debris

October 16, 2020
Source: https://spacenews.com/upper-stages-top-list-of-most-dangerous-space-debris/ by Jeff Foust — October 13, 2020 WASHINGTON — While launch providers are doing a better job at disposing of upper stages left behind in orbit, rocket bodies still constitute the most dangerous pieces of orbital debris. The European Space Agency released Oct. 12 its annual Space Environment Report, the agency’s assessment of orbital debris. The report...
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25
Sep

Are Elon Musk’s ‘megaconstellations’ a blight on the night sky?

September 25, 2020
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/sep/12/stars-astronomy-spacex-satellite-elon-musk Miniature satellites open up a world of technological possibility. But experts say they degrade the astronomical landscape. Stuart Clark, Sat 12 Sep 2020 17.00 BST The natural serenity of the night sky is a touchstone for all of us. Everyone alive today looks at the same stars no matter where they are located on the...
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30
Jul

Amazon’s Kuiper constellation gets FCC approval

July 30, 2020
by Caleb Henry — July 30, 2020 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on July 30 approved Amazon’s request to operate a constellation of roughly 3,200 internet satellites in low Earth orbit.  The FCC said Amazon has until July 30, 2026 to launch at least 50% of its satellites in order to maintain its authorization, and until...
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16
Jun

Space Pollution: The Kessler Syndrome

June 16, 2020
What is the Kessler Syndrome? The Kessler syndrome (also called the Kessler effect, collisional cascading, or ablation cascade), proposed by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, is a theoretical scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) due to space pollution is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which each collision generates space debris that increases the likelihood of further...
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