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   Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 04:47:15 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

   Excellent new report by the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG): WasteX: Environmental harms of satellite internet mega-constellations https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/wastex-environmental-harms-of-satellite-internet-mega-constellations/

   The report has great info on why 10s of thousands of throwaway satellites are terrible, and 2 powerful recommendations:

   1. Pause launches until environmental reviews are done
   2. Stop the categorical exclusion of satellites from environmental review

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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 04:53:37 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     This is written up in a Wired article too: "As Skies Fill With Space Junk, Nonprofit Urges US to Pause StarLink Launches" https://www.wired.com/story/pirg-starlink-environmental-review-space-garbage/

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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 04:53:37 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     And there's even a petition you can sign to support these recommendations! Want the US government to actually look at the environmental consequences of SpaceX and other megaconstellation launches? Sign here!

     https://pirg.org/edfund/take-action/tell-the-fcc-satellite-mega-constellations-need-environmental-review/

     If you're an astronomer (amateur or professional), I have a different petition letter link to send you, DM me and I'll send it do you (...eventually)

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     clacke (clacke@libranet.de)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 21:53:31 JST clacke

     in reply to

     • Trapped in the Age of Pisces♓️
     @fuzzface @sundogplanets Wait, what did I miss?
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     Trapped in the Age of Pisces♓️ (fuzzface@epsilon-ix.masto.host)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 21:53:32 JST Trapped in the Age of Pisces♓️

     in reply to

     @sundogplanets Your fans outside Washington, DC still think Elon was putting shots “across your bow”.

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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 09-Aug-2024 21:53:33 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     One of my colleagues wrote me an email to the effect of "Your satellite regulation advocacy is really having an impact! ...ok maybe that was a poor choice of words given your most recent news interviews..."