Re:SpaceX: World record number of satellites launched
by voxic11 on Sunday January 24, 2021 @08:43PM
(#25898123)
I wonder what regulations would need to be followed if spacex did their launches from a modified oil rig in international waters?
Re:SpaceX: World record number of satellites launched
by Tuna-Fish on Monday January 25, 2021 @03:03AM
(#25900630)
American regulations. Because of ITAR, SpaceX cannot legally export any of their development or manufacturing. This means they are, and will always be, subject to all the other American regulation too.
And there is precedent that even if an American company launches their satellite from somewhere that is not the USA, they still have to follow all the American regulation. See FCC and Swarm Technologies over the SpaceBee 1-4 launch.
As a requirement for getting regulatory approval to launch your satellite, I think you have to submit a debris management plan, which can include raising a geostationary satellite to a graveyard orbit after EOL (GEO is really far from earth, it would take a lot of fuel to de-orbit them), or lower a low-earth orbit to an altitude at which it would decay in a few weeks or years.
Generally, I think these small satellites are quite cheap both to launch and manufacture, do not have a great lifespan, and certainly not have lots of fuel. So they are most likely intended for LEO, and a low one with that, where atmospheric drag is small, but could bring a satellite down in a few (~5-7) years. Hopefully smaller than the rate at which the operator renews them.
Picking LEO has many benefits: lower latency, higher bandwidth, smaller antennas, higher resolution for pictures, with a few drawbacks: more earth shadow, faster ground velocity, smaller coverage for earth sensors.