Mega-constellations risk turning orbit into a debris nightmare

TL;DR
SpaceX’s Starlink mega-constellations now dominate low-Earth orbit with about 10,000 satellites and plans for up to a million more, sparking concerns over light pollution, future debris, and potential ground fallout; satellites typically burn up on re-entry, but larger mega-constellations could leave debris that falls to Earth, as seen in Saskatchewan, and Canada has no formal debris reporting or environmental regulation for space activities; experts warn of increased collision risk (Kessler syndrome) and stress the need for Canadian internet alternatives and stronger governance, since SpaceX currently controls a large share of orbital slots.
Topics:scienceenvironment#environment#environment-regulation#orbital-debris#space-junk#spacex#starlink
- SpaceX satellites half the size of pickup trucks are falling from the sky — every day The Narwhal
- Astronomers warn that satellites could soon outnumber stars in the night sky Travel Tomorrow
- Starlink satellites are becoming a problem in space RVtravel
- Online astronomy talk Wednesday The Inquirer and Mirror
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