“As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed, resulting in a 200 meter close approach between one of the deployed satellites and STARLINK-6079 (56120) at 560 km altitude.”
“As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed, resulting in a 200 meter close approach between one of the deployed satellites and STARLINK-6079 (56120) at 560 km altitude.”
Kessler syndrome isn’t possible with these LEO constellations.
They are so low the debris would just deorbit themselves in a couple years.
It’s the much much higher orbits where they stay forever that is the problem.
Even the higher orbits aren’t as big a problem as might be assumed. There are still mechanisms other than aerodynamic drag that clear debris from those orbits, they’re just slower. And the combination of fewer high-altitude satellites and much bigger orbital volume make it harder to get a dangerous density of debris going in the first place.