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From: Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: "SpaceX: Lowering Starlink Satellite Orbits Reduces Impact on
 Astronomy"
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2025 22:26:42 -0500
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On 1/9/2025 6:02 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> "SpaceX: Lowering Starlink Satellite Orbits Reduces Impact on Astronomy"
> 
> https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-lowering-starlink-satellite-orbits- 
> reduces-impact-on-astronomy
> 
> “The company has been working with an observatory and the US National 
> Science Foundation to study the effects of lowering its satellites to 
> 350km (217 miles) versus 550km.”
> 
> Incoming, everybody duck !

That's kind of the idea. They want the satellites low enough that even
if one goes completely dead, it will re-enter naturally after about 6
years.

The satellites are designed so that they *should* burn up completely
on re-entry.

At the moment, the second stage of the Dragon booster does have
parts that can reach the ground, but they try to de-orbit them over
the south pacific, near Point Nemo. If/when SpaceX shifts to the
Starship, this will no longer be an issue.

pt