More Musk Clutter in the Sky

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Artist’s drawing of spacecraft and debris circling the Earth. (Taken from Scientific American’s article, “Relentless Rise of Space Junk Threatens Satellites and Earth.”)

I have written about satellite pollution a few times on this site, and now I need to address it one more time by citing even more bad news. As noted in the news, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is allowing SpaceX to place another 7,500 satellites into orbit. SpaceX wanted permission for about 30,000 new satellites, so stay tuned for whining and more pressure on the FCC.

In making its decision, the FCC acknowledged and addressed concerns related to orbital debris and space safety, and required SpaceX to report back on mitigation efforts. You can read the full FCC decision here.

Given that Mr. Musk does not seem to believe in limitations on Twitter or satellite activities, we will need to rely on the regulators to keep an eye on him.