Prof. Sam LawlerOh hey cool, an op-ed I wrote is now published!
TLDR: we need *fewer* satellites, each with *longer* operational lifetimes. Engineers: that's your challenge.
What goes up must come down: How megaconstellations like SpaceX's Starlink network pose a grave safety threat to us on Earth
Thousands of satellites with incredibly short lifetimes are being sent up into low Earth orbit. When they fall back down they're fireballs of pollution — and what doesn't burn up hits the ground.
Looking for explanations…