Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Systems Like Starlink Cause Environmental Harm Regulators Didn’t Prepare For

Last June scientists warned that low-Earth orbit ( #LEO ) satellites constantly burning up in orbit could release chemicals that could undermine the progress we’ve made repairing the #ozone #layer.

Researchers at USC noted that at peak, 1,005 U.S. tons of aluminum will fall to Earth,
releasing ♦️397 U.S. tons of aluminum oxides ♦️per year to the atmosphere, an
💥increase of 646% over natural levels. 💥

Numerous companies, most notably Elon Musk’s #Starlink and Jeff Bezos’ #Blue #Origin,
are working on launching tens of thousands of small LEO satellites in the coming years.

A new report by U.S. PIRG adds to concerns that these launches haven’t been thought through environmentally,
noting that the disposable nature of such satellites means ♦️29 tons of satellites ♦️will re-enter our atmosphere every day at peak.

After years of delays, the FCC did recently release rules requiring that satellites be removed from orbit within five years to help minimize “space junk.”

But the organization notes that very little if any thought was given by innovation-cowed regulators toward the 🔸environmental impact of so many smaller satellites constantly burning up in orbit:🔸

“We shouldn’t rush into deploying an untested and under-researched technology into new environments without comprehensive review.

Over just five years Starlink has launched more than 6,000 units and now make up more than 60% of all satellites.

The new space race took off faster than governments were able to act.”

The steady launches are also a notable pollution concern, the report notes,
releasing ♦️“soot in the atmosphere equivalent to 7 million diesel dump trucks circling the globe, each year.”

#SpaceX has consistently played fast and loose with #environmental #regulations,
with regulators even in lax Texas starting to give the company grief for releasing significant #pollutants into nearby bodies of water.

techdirt.com/2024/08/16/report…

Report: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Systems Like Starlink Cause Environmental Harm Regulators Didn’t Prepare For

Last June scientists warned that low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites constantly burning up in orbit could release chemicals that could undermine the progress we’ve made repairing the ozone layer. Rese…

^Techdirt

While it is good that more #regulations are coming for #online platforms (and #COPPA must go), it remains to be said that the well-being of #children should not rely on for-profit businesses: No regulation will deter them from milking the unsuspecting kids. Parents and teachers, on the other hand, should adapt to the reality: neither laissez-faire nor strong-arm, but communication through knowledge and empathy, will lead the new generations onto the right track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6G3QNPQy8

The Truth About Our Kids and the Internet | NYT Opinion

We all know how difficult it can be to close our social media apps and walk away from our devices. Just one more scroll, we tell ourselves. Just one more pee...

^YouTube