Report of the US Federal Civil Aviation Department (FAA) attracts attention The public to the problem related to the SpaceX Starlink Space satellites. According to experts, an increase in the number of these satellites in orbit can cause serious incidents on Earth.
Experts have raised concerns over the potential risks associated with the increasing number of SpaceX Starlink Space satellites in orbit, prompting the US Federal Civil Aviation Department (FAA) to issue a report to raise public awareness. While the chances of something going wrong are currently low, the FAA highlights the need to address the issue before it becomes a significant threat.
Spacecraft reentering the Earth’s atmosphere often burn up completely, minimizing the risks to people on the ground. Nevertheless, the FAA acknowledges that there is still a small possibility of incidents occurring. To date, hundreds of Starlink satellites have safely reentered the atmosphere without causing harm to people or property.
However, the FAA points out that SpaceX has obtained permission to operate up to 12,000 Starlink devices, with 5,000 of them already in orbit. Furthermore, the company has plans to ultimately launch an astonishing 40,000 satellites, significantly increasing the potential risks over time.
The FAA’s report predicts that if this trend continues, by 2035 Starlink may become one of the primary sources of danger to both people and aviation. It states, “It is estimated that around 0.6 people per year may be injured or even killed by fragments when satellites are being disposed of in the atmosphere. This means that approximately one person on the planet may suffer every two years.”
In addition to the threat to human life, preliminary estimates suggest that there is a 0.0007 chance of an aviation disaster occurring each year due to collisions between aircraft and reentering debris. The FAA emphasizes the significant danger of massive pieces of metal hurtling towards Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of 17,500 miles per hour.
SpaceX has not yet responded to the FAA’s report or its concerns regarding the potential risks associated with the Starlink satellite constellation.