SpaceX vaporizes 260 Starlink satellites in six months using Earth's atmosphere — new environmental concerns emerge over burning 2,700-pound orbital data centers, FCC seeks to exempt satellites from regulations
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Starlink burns multiple retired satellites daily from its over 10,000-strong constellation

Starlink burns multiple retired satellites daily from its over 10,000-strong constellation

  • Pennomi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    1 day ago

    There’s no way burning satellites are putting enough energy into the atmosphere to heat it up. They cause other problems like ozone degradation and serious aerosol pollution.

    Rockets on the other hand put a lot of greenhouse gasses high up in the atmosphere, including incredibly potent greenhouse gasses like water vapor. These launches account for a meaningful percentage of all emissions.

      • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        4·
        1 day ago

        You’re not crashing the entire rocket, just a tiny bit of it. Also, generating direct energy has never been a climate change issue, it’s the byproducts of that generating that are fucking us up.

          • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            1 day ago

            As I said, only the energy of the satellite, not the entire rocket, which is a miniscule fraction of the energy the launch used.

            Also pointing out that it really doesn’t matter, in terms of energy, potential or otherwise. It’s only the physical byproducts that can have any major impact.