Excellent new report by the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG): WasteX: Environmental harms of satellite internet mega-constellations https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/wastex-environmental-harms-of-satellite-internet-mega-constellations/
The report has great info on why 10s of thousands of throwaway satellites are terrible, and 2 powerful recommendations:
1. Pause launches until environmental reviews are done
2. Stop the categorical exclusion of satellites from environmental review
This is written up in a Wired article too: "As Skies Fill With Space Junk, Nonprofit Urges US to Pause StarLink Launches" https://www.wired.com/story/pirg-starlink-environmental-review-space-garbage/
And there's even a petition you can sign to support these recommendations! Want the US government to actually look at the environmental consequences of SpaceX and other megaconstellation launches? Sign here!
If you're an astronomer (amateur or professional), I have a different petition letter link to send you, DM me and I'll send it do you (...eventually)
One of my colleagues wrote me an email to the effect of "Your satellite regulation advocacy is really having an impact! ...ok maybe that was a poor choice of words given your most recent news interviews..."
@sundogplanets Your fans outside Washington, DC still think Elon was putting shots “across your bow”.
@clacke @sundogplanets It is a joke. It is reference to the serious article mentioned earlier in the thread.
@sundogplanets Long March, kaboom?
@sundogplanets
Chinese megaconstellation launch creates field of space debris…
https://spacenews.com/chinese-megaconstellation-launch-creates-field-of-space-debris/
The first launch for a coming Chinese internet megaconstellation turned out to be quite messy…
https://www.space.com/china-megaconstellation-launch-space-junk
@sundogplanets
Those pieces of debris are frickin’ terrifying.
Also, keep up the fantastic work.