Does that mean that the entire EU has no military satellites at all ? (Or maybe like 10 from France's CNES, and that's it?)
Europe is a more finite geospatial target. Fewer resources required. France has already stated they have the capability to fill the gap for Ukraine for up-to-date movements along the 1,000+ km line. They are currently working on the next generation program, IRIS, with a target date of 2027.
If we aren't careful with space debris [1], deorbit protocols [2], and anti-satellite weapons [3], we risk triggering a Kessler syndrome [4] and permanently blocking our access to space. We currently have no international space agreements outside of not putting nuclear weapons in space, which is wholly inadequate for managing the dangers and safety of space development. The only reason space has been managed decently…
> Don't expect this good behaviour to continue. I don't agree. Kessler syndrome is another M.A.D. scenario. Nobody would want it to poison the well for everyone incl. themselves.
I don’t think it really is MAD; for example in a war (I mention this because the comment a couple up talks about anti-satellite weapons) where one side has a major satellite advantage, the other side would probably be tempted to kick off Kessler syndrome. It is a long term problem but the potentially pro-Kessler side doesn’t care much unless they win, and it doesn’t actually cause them major destruction until they want to go start exploring space again (which would probably be put on pause until the war is over).
And, it would be really bad. But to some extent, can you blame them? If they are getting whacked every day by GPS guided bombs or drones, or they are being outsmarted by satellite-gathered intelligence, why should they take it? If we’ve put parts of our weapons in space, we’re the ones weaponizing it, right?
The only countries even capable of enforcing launch bans stand to gain nothing from them because it just makes launching their own payloads more difficult. There's like ~10 or so countries who are readily launch capable and even less with the military capability to put any pressure to stop foreign launches. Who's going to regulate? Regulation only works when someone has the power to enforce them. Right now the people…
> Who's going to regulate? I will; when I am elected God-Emperor, I will set up a global defense network that will shoot down any unauthorised launches. I will also build a space palace, because I can. Only half-joking; space will be regulated when one force becomes dominant and individual countries' rights are taken away, OR when the majority of countries, but specifically the biggest and most powerful ones, get to…
wrong.
NK as an example has the capacity to design and deliver and deploy load after load after load of small rusty ball bearings into random low earth orbits, leaving existing geo syncronous
satelites as the only platforms operating in earths orbit, SK, Japan, France, etc ,etc, etc,....russia, china,.......many large industrial companies(mitsu, hiundi, various name shify US companies)..... can just shut the whole thing down long before any emperor starts issueing edicts from orbit.
this is the classic example of where the "defence" is orders of magnitude easier and cheaper than the "offence"
> "Earth has 4550 satellites in orbit" Rapidly obsoleted information. SpaceX alone has > 7500 satellites in orbit. It added 2,300+ satellites in the one year period ending Jun 2025.
> It added 2,300+ satellites in the one year period ending Jun 2025. Take in account, that a lot of those are replacement sats for the first generations that they are deorbiting already. Do not quote me on this, but its a insane amount (i though it was around 2k) of the first generation that they are deorbiting. If there is a issue, its not the amount of sats in space, but more the insane amount of deorbiting StarLin…
I love checking out the Starlink launches wikipedia page every so often [1], which is regularly updated. Here's stats as of today:
Is there something like https://www.flightradar24.com for satellites? Would be kind of interesting to build a “live” visualization of objects in earths orbit. But this would require accurate live data of those objects. Probably nothing that companies would publish. On the other hand side: once the object and its orbit is identified, positions could be calculated… Does anyone know more?
If we aren't careful with space debris [1], deorbit protocols [2], and anti-satellite weapons [3], we risk triggering a Kessler syndrome [4] and permanently blocking our access to space. We currently have no international space agreements outside of not putting nuclear weapons in space, which is wholly inadequate for managing the dangers and safety of space development. The only reason space has been managed decently…
> Don't expect this good behaviour to continue. I don't agree. Kessler syndrome is another M.A.D. scenario. Nobody would want it to poison the well for everyone incl. themselves.
Hi my name is SpaceY and I get paid to launch other companies payloads. What happens once they're deployed in orbit is the customer's responsibility, we specialize only in launching.
Companies don't work for the public good, or even their own good, most of the time. Strange that you'd expect that to change.
It's incredible how many satellites Space X have launched It's also surprising from a layman's perspective the "freedom" to launch rockets into space without necessarily needing permission, the originating country of course needs to approve it but none else
The more crowded orbits aren't free. You can't just put a geostationary satellite anywhere you want.
> Who's going to regulate? I will; when I am elected God-Emperor, I will set up a global defense network that will shoot down any unauthorised launches. I will also build a space palace, because I can. Only half-joking; space will be regulated when one force becomes dominant and individual countries' rights are taken away, OR when the majority of countries, but specifically the biggest and most powerful ones, get to…
wrong. NK as an example has the capacity to design and deliver and deploy load after load after load of small rusty ball bearings into random low earth orbits, leaving existing geo syncronous satelites as the only platforms operating in earths orbit, SK, Japan, France, etc ,etc, etc,....russia, china,.......many large industrial companies(mitsu, hiundi, various name shify US companies)..... can just shut the whole th…
> NK as an example has the capacity to design and deliver and deploy load after load after load of small rusty ball bearings into random low earth orbits
Funny that the only country that actually did that was the US...