A team of scientists is warning about the risks of space debris accumulating in Earth’s low orbit, highlighting the potential for a catastrophic scenario known as Kessler syndrome. This phenomenon arises from collisions between satellites, which create debris that leads to further collisions, ultimately threatening future space travel. With the increasing number of satellites—exemplified by SpaceX’s vast “mega-constellation”—the danger grows.
The researchers propose a new metric, the CRASH Clock, which estimates time until potential catastrophic collisions, particularly if a solar storm disrupts satellite navigation systems. They suggest that close encounters between satellites could happen every 36 seconds, setting the CRASH Clock to just 5.5 days in the event of a solar upheaval. Such a situation could effectively “trap” humanity on Earth with reduced access to space, echoing the severe impacts of past solar storms.
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