Prof. Sam LawlerRE: https://mastodon.social/@hannorein/116319800679957972
Pew pew pew Kessler Syndrome here we come! (Ok yes, we're already in Kessler Syndrome, this is Kessler Syndrome: small collisions happen more and more frequently)
Follow up: I didn't read carefully. This may have been caused by an internal explosion rather than a debris collision (similar to what happened to another Starlink satellite a couple months ago). So... SpaceX will make Kessler Syndrome happen even faster with their exploding satellites, I guess. Weeee
Hanno Rein@sundogplanets How can one possibly distinguish one from the other?
Michael BuschThe last time this happened; LeoLabs attributed it to an internal explosion because there was no known debris passing near the Starlink concerned and because it happened at relatively low altitude, where the density of small untracked pieces of debris is lower.
@michael_w_busch @sundogplanets So I guess it's a probabilistic argument. Fair enough.
@hannorein @michael_w_busch that makes sense, thanks
That it has happened multiple times also suggests a failure mode for the satellites. SpaceX cutting corners on testing to cut costs is not new.
@michael_w_busch @sundogplanets I can imagine a scenario where a small debris particle hits the satellite, maybe somewhere important like a fuel talk, and it then breaks apart without a big net momentum change?