Prof. Sam LawlerFeb 11

Reflect Orbital wants to destroy the night sky to deliver "sunlight as a service". SpaceX wants to destroy Low Earth Orbit to launch one million "AI datacentres"

The only way to formally protest these two ideas is to file a comment with the US FCC, which is horribly complicated, but the American Astronomical Society has detailed instructions posted here: https://aas.org/posts/advocacy/2026/02/how-submit-comments-satellite-applications-fcc

Comments due March 6 for SpaceX and March 9 for Reflect Orbital. Write! Write! Write!

Show threadriverFeb 11
@sundogplanets can I share this outside of mastodon?
Show threadProf. Sam LawlerFeb 11
@river yes, share far and wide
Show threadMr.Mark "The Sharpie King"Feb 11
@sundogplanets @river
Happy to share this, do you have any more info about the reflect plan? This sounds as bad as the Russian company that’s planning on running advertisements in space.
Show threadOlsonFeb 11

@markmetz @sundogplanets @river

What?!? Who is gonna see them?

I’m glad I’m old.

Show threadMr.Mark "The Sharpie King"Feb 11
@Olson @sundogplanets @river
The idea is that we all will, and we won’t have a choice.
Show threadJulesceltFeb 11
@markmetz @Olson @sundogplanets @river This! Refelct Orbital did not ask the 8+ billion people living on this rock if we wanted "sunlight as a service". Just typing that makes me want to lol.
Show threadOlsonFeb 15

@julescelt01 @markmetz @sundogplanets @river

A few months ago, someone tooted a pic of a Canadian farmer looking at the rubbish of a satellite which fell from the sky. If I recall correctly, an old wooden barn was in the pic. Do we really need this?

Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 6

@Olson
They will take another picture without the barn in shot. ;-)

I know, that was not the point you were making. Agreed, space junk falling down is a very bad thing and should be stopped. I urge people to stop using any service that uses satellites in Lower Earth Orbit (LEO). Stop using services like #starlink as it is far more polluting than you think.
@julescelt01 @markmetz @sundogplanets @river

Show threadNichol BrummerMar 6
@alterelefant @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @sundogplanets @river low earth orbit has the advantage that junk will slowly fall, mostly burn up. Kessler syndrome might auto-reduce after it kicks in..
Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 6
@Nichol
The fact that the mess in Lower Earth Orbit will clean itself up does however result in a lot of pollution in the upper atmosphere. We do not know enough about the long term effects this has on our atmosphere. Therefore my point of view is to not launch so many things into LEO.
@Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @sundogplanets @river
Show threadProf. Sam LawlerMar 6
@alterelefant @Nichol @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river The timescale for stuff to fall into the atmosphere depends strongly on altitude (but also on shape/mass of the debris). 350 km days-weeks, 550km years-decades, 800 km decades-centuries. Also I hate saying "cleaned up" when it's actually just burning up in the atmosphere and adding to serious atmospheric pollution problems.
Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 7
@sundogplanets
Those Starlink satellites are at an altitude of around 450 if I am not mistaken. Therefore they will definitely return from orbit after their service life has ended. Whilst falling down the debris will pollute the upper atmosphere. We just don't know what the effects are of tens of thousands of satellites burning up that high. The smoke it releases could have serious long term conveniences.
@Nichol @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river
Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 7
@sundogplanets
Geven that all remains of the satellite burn up during reentry. Some fragments could still reach Earth's surface and cause damage in that way.
@Nichol @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river
Show threadProf. Sam Lawler
@alterelefant @Nichol @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river Here, read one of the many research articles I wrote about this, you don't need to explain this to me, I am actually an expert on this: https://theconversation.com/a-new-space-race-could-turn-our-atmosphere-into-a-crematorium-for-satellites-276366
A new space race could turn our atmosphere into a ‘crematorium for satellites’

Planned ‘megaconstellations’ of satellites could cause unforeseen harm to the ozone layer and climate systems. Global regulation is needed before it’s too late.

The Conversation
Mar 7 at 8:39amWeb
Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 7
@sundogplanets
Thank you for speaking out. The pollution by re-entering Starlink satellites must be stopped. Or any other mass deployment of satellites in LEO for that matter.
@Nichol @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river
Show threadNichol BrummerMar 7

@alterelefant @sundogplanets @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river I'm not convinced that we can ignore the risks of Kessler syndrome. That could end most lowish and higher satellite activity. Including earth observation for climate and envirinment, and GPS.

Starlink is a spectacular cellular network in space. But it may well spectacularly end the all actually useful satellites.

Pollution is also bad, but not a fraction of the pollution we produce at earth level.. is my guess.

Show threadFrank HeijkampMar 7

@Nichol
A possible Kessler Syndrome is definitely an issue. LEO is however close to earth and things will de-orbit within months or several years. It will 'mostly' clean itself up.

Pollution on earth happens mostly in the lower parts of the atmosphere. We don't know enough about the long-term effects of pollution in the upper atmosphere. I am not an expert on this topic but other people here know all the ins and outs.
@sundogplanets @Olson @julescelt01 @markmetz @river