We’ve Been on the Brink of a Planetary Disaster and We Didn’t Even Realize

The Overcrowding Issue in Earth’s Low Orbit: A Close Call Avoided

Humanity has recently faced a near-disastrous event that could have had severe repercussions on our lives, all without most of us even realizing it.
The incident took place in Earth’s low orbit, an area located between the atmosphere and the Van Allen belts, at an altitude ranging from 300 to 1,000 km.
This region has become a crucial extension of our planet, hosting a vast number of satellites that provide essential services such as positioning, tracking, and internet connections.

The Close Call Incident

The NASA, with growing concern, has witnessed a significant increase in satellites in Earth’s low orbit, raising alarms about overcrowding.
This overcrowding issue recently led to a potential planetary disaster, narrowly avoided, which could have jeopardized essential services, infrastructure, and even human lives.
To tackle this problem and improve satellite technical features, NASA is focusing its efforts on these key areas.

Pam Melroy, former astronaut and NASA Deputy Administrator since 2021, revealed that on February 28, 2024, a collision between two satellites was narrowly averted, preventing catastrophic consequences that could have escalated into a planetary disaster.
The Russian satellite Cosmos 221, adrift in space, was on the verge of colliding with NASA’s Times satellite.

Both satellites were non-maneuverable, leading to moments of panic as their proximity decreased significantly.
During Pam Melroy’s speech at the “Space Foundation’s Space” Symposium, it was disclosed that the distance between the two satellites narrowed to less than 10 meters.

The collision could have generated a substantial amount of tiny debris (smaller than pencil erasers, as described by Melroy), traveling at over 10,000 miles per hour (more than 16,000 kilometers per hour), posing a threat to other space infrastructures and potentially endangering human lives.
This scenario reflects the Kessler syndrome, proposed by NASA engineer Donald Kessler in 1978, where collisions between orbiting objects can trigger a chain reaction, jeopardizing numerous space structures and services.

NASA’s Space Sustainability Strategy

The narrow avoidance of this collision highlighted two main issues: Earth’s low orbit overcrowding and the inability to maneuver satellites.
Consequently, NASA urged all space agencies to collaborate for international infrastructure control aimed at decluttering space.

As part of the recently announced space sustainability strategy, a pivotal focus lies on monitoring and managing satellites, eliminating non-functioning ones and space debris.
While NASA and various companies are tackling the issue, experts warn that current efforts may fall short.

Currently, over 10,000 satellites populate low Earth orbit – quadruple the number in 2019 – with approximately 400,000 more scheduled for launch.
Experts emphasize the urgent need to impose restrictions before space traffic becomes unmanageable.

The soaring number of satellites, partly driven by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which controls half of the orbiting satellites for profit and plans to launch an additional 42,000, illustrates the monumental challenge at hand.
Other entities like Boeing, Starlink, and Astra Space are also gearing up to enter Earth’s low orbit, making immediate intervention crucial alongside ensuring satellites are maneuverable and safe.