Low Earth Orbit Satellites Cause Environmental Harm Regulators Didnt Prepare For
A U.S. PIRG report highlights environmental issues from LEO satellites, including ozone damage and pollution comparable to millions of diesel trucks, while criticizing FCC regulations and Starlink's affordability.
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A recent report by U.S. PIRG highlights the environmental concerns associated with low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems, particularly those operated by companies like Starlink and Blue Origin. Scientists have warned that the re-entry of these satellites could release significant amounts of aluminum and aluminum oxides into the atmosphere, potentially harming the ozone layer. At peak operation, it is estimated that 29 tons of satellites will re-enter the atmosphere daily, contributing to a 646% increase in aluminum oxides compared to natural levels. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented rules requiring satellite removal within five years to mitigate space debris, but the report criticizes regulators for not adequately considering the environmental impacts of these satellite launches. The pollution generated by these satellites is likened to the emissions of seven million diesel trucks annually. Additionally, the light pollution from LEO satellites is disrupting astronomical research. While Starlink provides valuable internet access in remote areas, it does not address the broader issue of broadband affordability in the U.S. The Biden administration has retracted a significant funding initiative for Starlink, emphasizing the need for more sustainable broadband solutions, such as fiber deployment.
- LEO satellites like Starlink are causing significant environmental concerns, including ozone layer damage.
- The FCC has mandated satellite removal within five years to reduce space debris.
- Pollution from satellite re-entries is comparable to emissions from millions of diesel trucks.
- Light pollution from satellites is negatively impacting astronomical research.
- Starlink's high costs do not address the broader issue of broadband affordability in the U.S.
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6 commentshttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL10...
It adds up from the previous one that raises the concern, and now it does chemical simulation to discover what remains from the satellites.
AFAIK, the conclusions are still not enough to determine if this is bad. But now that this paper is done, one can do the simulation (or extrapolate observed data) that discovers it.
- "The most probable source of the increasingly abundant classes of stratospheric particles are aerospace activities. As these activities increase, so will the flux of anthropogenic material into the atmosphere[Kessler, 1985; Johnson,1985]. It is possible to predict the composition of these particles from a knowledge of the most commonly used spacecraft materials. There should be four main sources for solid particulate aerospace material in the stratosphere.These are (1) solid rocket fuel exhaust, (2) solid rocket motor (SRM) ablation, (3) thermal reflective paint from the outer hulls of spacecraft,and (4) ablating hardware from satellites and discarded rocket sections in low-Earth orbit."
- "It is well known that solid rocket fuel containing an aluminum additive produces spherical grains composed predominently of alumina when burned, and these particles have previously been noted among stratospheric particle collections [Brownlee et ai., 1976; Zolensky and Mackinnon, 1985]. The use of SRMs has increased steadily since the advent of the space shuttle, in 1981, to a peak in 1985."
https://sci-hub.se/10.1029/jd094id01p01047 ("A tenfold increase in the abundance of large solid particles in the stratosphere, as measured over the period 1976–1984" (1989))
I don't buy for one second the sudden urgency to halt critical US/NATO military space capabilities for a phenomenon that's been studied for 40+ years with no obvious major issues.
Easy trade no problem. Will do it 100x times over again.
Um. Wat?
Cannot wait to hear the same author howling about environmental destruction as the most awful of the megacorps dig millions of miles of trenches to lay down fiber.
Also, unlike our scumbag trad ISPs, who constantly return to the subsidy trough and provide nothing of value, consider that maybe the financial calculus has been done by the people putting their own, actual dollars in on this one.
Finally, since the author is so concerned with the needs of the underprivileged, where's their outrage over the $14.4 BILLION dollars[0] that were wasted in a failed attempt to get the rural areas of the country connected?
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