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   Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 11:12:53 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

   So, everyone worrying about the Venus probe reentry: yes, it's not designed to burn up in the atmosphere, and that's bad.

   But, remember Starlink? There's something like one Starlink per day reentering now, and they weigh more than the Venus probe! SpaceX says they will burn up completely, but now one Starlink piece has been discovered in my province. (And if they don't make it to the ground, that means that half-ton of metal and plastic is deposited in the stratosphere instead. Yum).

   • Adrianna Tan repeated this.
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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 12:03:37 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     More than 7,000 Starlinks in orbit now, and they have permission for 42,000. Even conservatively, at peak operation, they'll dump 25x more aluminum into the stratosphere than falls naturally as they launch and burn up 20-25 sats PER DAY. What will that do? We actually don't know. That metal is already measurable. SpaceX is just running this experiment.

     We need fewer satellites in orbit with longer operational lifetimes. THAT is the new engineering challenge in LEO.

     Steve's Place repeated this.
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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 12:03:37 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     LEO sat disposal is a new environmental disaster brewing, mostly because of the actions of a single private company, but really, it's everyone's operating procedure in LEO. Just burn those sats up in Earth's atmosphere when they're done! They just disappear! And if they don't, they probably won't hit anyone anyway.

     Ok, this is turning rambly and I'm tired and need to put my goats in the barn. I hope the Venus probe reenters with no injuries, and just to be abundantly clear: fuck Starlink.

   • Embed this notice
     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 12:04:27 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @sundogplanets

     I know....but isn't really nifty that I can get internet anywhere for an exhorbitant price. I mean, I guess the pros and cons even themselves out... 😂

     Joking completely aside, thanks for talking Starlink here. I had no idea just how catastrophic it was until I started reading your posts.

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     your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦 (blogdiva@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 22:54:47 JST your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     in reply to

     🗣 LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!!

     @sundogplanets

     RamenCatholic 🐢 🌈 repeated this.
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     Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 22:54:47 JST Ben Royce 🇺🇦

     in reply to

     • your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦

     @blogdiva @sundogplanets

   • Embed this notice
     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 10-May-2025 22:54:48 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     P.S. Don't explain reentries or orbits to me.

     Mr. Bill repeated this.
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     Prof. Sam Lawler (sundogplanets@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 11-May-2025 02:49:04 JST Prof. Sam Lawler

     in reply to

     https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lostcdm6qk2v

     The probe is down, probably in the ocean.

     Also there is no way I'm going to be able to answer all the questions that people have posted in this thread while I was asleep haha...yikes. Glad to see people are interested! I"ll try to answer a few at least. (I'll also be ignoring and likely blocking annoying mansplaining/sealioning)

     RamenCatholic 🐢 🌈 repeated this.
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     Ben Royce 🇺🇦 (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 11-May-2025 03:28:03 JST Ben Royce 🇺🇦

     in reply to

     @sundogplanets