Games of ‘chicken’ with space satellites could risk huge collisions

The rapid development of mega-constellations – like the ones proposed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin’s Project Kupier – risks “potentially dangerous on-orbit collisions on a regular basis”, according to a new report.

The research, conducted by the University of British Columbia, says that the constellation of satellites proposed by huge companies could deposit more aluminium into the Earth’s upper atmosphere, while untraced debris and meteoroids could be the cause of numerous collisions, as well as the negative effects on astronomy often raised by researchers.

“De facto orbit occupation by single actors, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and the possibility of free-riding exacerbate these risks”, Aaron Boley and Michael Byers, write in the report.