If the small pieces eventually burn out quickly without affecting the other satellites too much, why not?

These small pieces do not burn faster than the entire satellite. But instead of bothering the International Space Station and other operational satellites with a single object traveling at 28,000 km/h, they are now having trouble with an entire swarm of objects at that speed. And this swarm is also slowly spreading, so that all the tiny, untraceable particles all orbit the Earth over time. At these speeds, the impact of a single grain of sand would already cause obvious damage.

I already wrote: Hiding was a precaution, a normal business, and I understand that there is no other danger? So that’s a little weak for me.

Over time, these bits (and lots and lots of little bits) will pass through the International Space Station again, and through other satellites. And thus pose a threat again. Repeatedly. And the swarm will grow more and more, so that more often something passes.

For a good anti-missile test, in my opinion, it is also necessary to have the explosion so that the debris also does not cause problems for your other equipment.
So, satellite blasting has to be so clever that the environment doesn’t have a problem with it.

The problem is that this isn’t possible in space, unless you’re in a very low orbit, so that the fragments come back on their own within a few years at most. In higher orbits, all parts and masses remain in space for many years, posing a risk to other equipment for many years.

Cleaning up wrecked cars after hitting the highway is like blowing them up and then leaving the wreckage behind. And wait for them to disappear on their own in a “natural” way. Then all the cars you will pass by in the future will be affected and you have to avoid them. And every time a new car wreck is blown up on the highway, the risks and problems for ordinary road users increase.

[Reactie gewijzigd door RJG-223 op 16 november 2021 12:25]