Starlink’s got company — and orbital overcrowding is a disaster waiting to happen
- Amazon has launched its first batch of Project Kuiper satellites, joining SpaceX’s Starlink in creating a mega constellation.
- The number of satellites in orbit around Earth is increasing rapidly, with over 2,500 objects launched into low-Earth orbit in 2024 alone.
- A growing number of companies, including Amazon, SpaceX, OneWeb, and Chinese companies, are planning to launch thousands of satellites into space.
- The dangers of orbital overcrowding are becoming increasingly apparent, with the risk of collisions between satellites posing a significant threat to global safety.
- Experts warn that if any of these objects were to collide, the results could be disastrous, highlighting the need for greater regulation and coordination in the satellite industry.
On the evening of April 28th, Amazon embarked on its latest venture to rival SpaceX Starlink: the first launch of its Project Kuiper satellites. With 27 satellites now in orbit around the Earth, Amazon joins a growing number of companies working to put more than 1,000 satellites each into space to create a mega constellation. With all of these objects in orbit, the dangers of overcrowding are increasing, and if any of these objects were to collide, the results could be disastrous.
Aside from Amazon and SpaceX, UK-based OneWeb has its own constellation, and there are several planned by Chinese companies, too. There is the Chinese government-backed Guowang mega constellation, which began its launches last year but remains veiled in secrecy, as well as the commercial Qianfan or Thousand Sails project, which began launches in 2023 and plans to place a total of up to 15,000 satellites in orbit.
A recent report from the European Space Agency (ESA) found that over 2,500 objects were launched into low-Earth orbit in 2024, more than five times the number of objects launched in any year prior to 2020. The major chunk of these launches were for commercial satellite constellations, for whic …
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