Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal and satellite servicing

Re:Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal a... by lkbm on Wednesday August 04, 2021 @01:02PM (#28063456)

As I understand it, the majority of junk is 1. 480 million copper pins the US military put into orbit[0] and 2. 150k pieces of junk from the Chinese anti-satellite weapon test/demonstration[1].

So if we're going to charge someone for this, first and foremost are the US and Chinese militaries.

Who's going to make them pay up?

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_West_Ford [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi...

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Re:Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal a... by aikinai on Wednesday August 04, 2021 @01:35PM (#28063857)

Thanks for linking to the interesting story, but it doesn’t agree with your comment. Wikipedia says there are only 36 clumps of needles left in orbit.

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Re:Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal a... by gridspy on Thursday August 05, 2021 @06:02AM (#28071702)

*36 known clumps

Individual needles are probably too small for radar to track, but not too small to punch a hole in your vessel.

Fortunately some have re-entered.

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Re:Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal a... by lkbm on Wednesday August 04, 2021 @03:52PM (#28065452)

Good catch. I didn't fully reread it before posting. I was also unsure if the individual needles were still around, but the article says they'd have decayed after ~3 years, so it's just those few clumps that are relevant.

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Re:Launch HN: Turion Space (YC S21) – Space debris removal a... by jcun4128 on Thursday August 05, 2021 @12:56AM (#28070024)

that is cool "artificial ionosphere"

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