Abstract from the paper in the article:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL109280
Large constellations of small satellites will significantly increase the number of objects orbiting the Earth. Satellites burn up at the end of service life during reentry, generating aluminum oxides as the main byproduct. These are known catalysts for chlorine activation that depletes ozone in the stratosphere. We present the first atomic-scale molecular dynamics simulation study to resolve the oxidation process of the satellite’s aluminum structure during mesospheric reentry, and investigate the ozone depletion potential from aluminum oxides. We find that the demise of a typical 250-kg satellite can generate around 30 kg of aluminum oxide nanoparticles, which may endure for decades in the atmosphere. Aluminum oxide compounds generated by the entire population of satellites reentering the atmosphere in 2022 are estimated at around 17 metric tons. Reentry scenarios involving mega-constellations point to over 360 metric tons of aluminum oxide compounds per year, which can lead to significant ozone depletion.
PS: wooden satellites can help mitigate this https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01456-z
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Idk, i think SpaceX is catching a lot of heat just because they have musk “at the helm”. He doesnt even do anything there, he isnt an aerospace engineer. They just let him sit in mission control so he can feel special. The actual work spacex is doing is revolutionary. Reuseable rockets are a seriously groundbreaking development. Almost everything you do these days relies on a sattelite connection, so doing that cheaper, more reliably, and less wastefully is massive.
Starlink is a different matter tho, its just another ISP but with a fancy connection method.
Except GPS and satellite TV, say what now?
My internet doesn’t rely on satellite, neither does basically anything else
Can you imagine the world without GPS at this point?
In any case since you asked the biggest things besides those are weather predictions, spying, part of the large region emergency response systems, research, and land management.
Fair enough.
I think starlink is more than that as even more things rely on a (good) Internet connection ingeneral than rely on satellites, and traditional connectivity methods leave many people underserved even in countries like America let alone the world.
It definitely has its problems, if nothing else that it’s privately owned and anyone who wanted to compete would then massively amplify those problems.
SpaceX and the reusable Falcon 9 is incredibly incredible. It has already eliminated lots of waste in the field of space travel.
Starlink shouldn’t have existed. SpaceX should have been a division of NASA
Yes it went so well with innovation from NASA’s existing practice.
At least they’re not blowing their budget exploding rockets…
No they’re somehow managing to blow it neither launching nor exploding rockets.
And the lesson is that they probably should’ve blown up more rockets on purpose rather than lose them on accident.
The Falcon 9 has the largest number of successful launches of any rocket ever by a large margin.
lol
I mean you can giggle at the turn of phrase, but clearly what is meant is to be more willing to tolerate risk. Very clearly that’s been a much shorter path to success than the one NASA took.
I am pretty sure they are making lots of money. You know based on the little bit of financial information leaking out.
Lots of people are experts on this topic it seems. They should form their own launch provider and show how it is done. Because results generally speak for themselves. They went from nothing to controlling over half the launches of the human race as a whole in about a decade. Did they get government money? Oh you betcha. Did they get as much as their rivals did? Not even close.
Reusability makes sense, this technique of rapid trial and error also makes sense.
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That might be true. But every organisation has to achieve its goals in the context that it exists. And to be fair to NASA they’ve realised it’s better to outsource development because it’s less prone to porn barrel politics.
Wow 🤣 I am not sure what happened there. Should have been PORK barrel politics.
I’m also intrigued. Clearly things are more exciting at NASA than I thought.
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NASA has blown up their fair share of rockets in their day. A couple of shuttles as well. I’m saying that all the people working at SpaceX would have been better employed as NASA employees so their research isn’t payealled.
If the Russians had not been rude to Musk, and hurt his little ego, SpaceX wouldn’t exist.
I guess we blame the Russians for this too then.
Be nice if you could go into a bit more detail about your thoughts on this. Rather than just asserting your conclusions.
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Ok congrats on successfully moving the problem backwards. You have made another assertion without evidence to backup your previous assertion without evidence.
I understand your opinion but it is just an opinion
Why?