Thread

1. ev0lv · 1790777347 · focus · HN ↗

   As of September 29, 2026, there are 16,613 active satellites in Earth orbit, 11,128 of them Starlink.

   A fun fact: Kessler syndrome is a runaway chain reaction in orbit. Collisions create debris, and that debris causes more collisions, and when something breaks into pieces, its mass stays the same but its total surface area goes up, and reflected sunlight scales with area.

   I submit to you that our kids' kids won't be able to see the milky way galaxy because of this litter.

   1. AustinDev · 1790783539 · focus · HN ↗

      Starlink is too low to be a concern for Kessler Syndrome. They all deorbit on their own in a few years. 700-1,000km is the orbit that should be observed for Kessler risk. <500km is of no real concern due to atmospheric drag.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.