Who’s (Ir)responsible?

The rise of commercial satellites

In 2019, SpaceX started launching mass-produced Starlink satellites into Low Earth Orbit. They have now launched more satellites in the past 6 years than were launched in the previous 6 decades.

As of 13 May 2023, Starlink has launched a whopping 6,416 satellites into space, out of a planned 42,000. OneWeb has launched 640 out of a planned 6,372. Many other companies have plans to do the exact same thing as Starlink, increasing the likelihood of collisions in orbit and atmospheric pollution associated with launches and re-entries.

Satellites are a vital piece of infrastructure

We rely on them for GPS, cellular service, environmental disaster & nuclear monitoring, and astronomy. It’s important to preserve their orbits. But how do we safely use earth’s orbit today so future generations may also use orbit?