A video posted by the account @flightclubio on X (formerly Twitter) on September 18 shows thousands of small orange dots representing satellites orbiting the planet.
The group @flightclubio is reported to consist of hundreds of photographers, rocket “hunters,” livestreamers, and others who seek to capture or simulate rocket and satellite launches. The group operates in Dublin, Ireland. Their post about the Starlink satellites video attracted significant attention from users on the X platform.
The orange dots symbolize Starlink satellites moving around Earth. According to the representation in the video, these orange dots are densely packed.
Image of Starlink satellites moving around Earth.
Since 2018, SpaceX has conducted 109 satellite launches. As of August 2023, there are approximately 5,000 Starlink satellites in space. SpaceX announced it surpassed 2 million users in September 2023 and plans to deploy 12,000 satellites, with a target that could rise to 42,000 in the coming years.
The Sun reported that according to new studies, low-frequency radio waves are leaking into the sky and harming the astronomical observation capabilities of scientists.
Skywatchers are concerned that the number of satellites will soon surpass the number of visible stars.
Some users on the X platform expressed concerns that one day, the number of Starlink satellites could exceed the number of stars visible from Earth. Others noted that with the current space science race, the number of satellites in Earth’s orbit will likely increase dramatically in the future.
Expert Highlights Viewer Misconceptions
However, Dr. Kit Chapman, a science historian and lecturer at Falmouth University, quickly pointed out that the orange dots in this video are not to scale.
“There are many factors to consider when discussing space science: space debris, the chemical properties of satellites, the materials used to build satellites,…” Dr. Kit Chapman shared on the X platform.
“But this footage makes space seem overly congested. It appears as if each represented satellite is the size of the entire UK. For those wondering, a Starlink satellite is only about the size of a dining room table. Space is not that crowded. Many people have misunderstood the scale and numbers involved.”
Space Debris
Space debris or space junk refers to anything left by humans in space that becomes trapped in Earth’s orbit. This can include inactive satellites or fragments from rockets.
Objects in Earth’s orbit travel at speeds of about 15,000 miles per hour—fast enough that if debris collides with a satellite or spacecraft, it could cause significant damage.
The International Space Station frequently engages in maneuvering missions to avoid space debris. However, as the global space industry opens up to billionaire entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, activity in Earth’s orbit has surged.
Increased activity means more debris is generated. Scientists are not only concerned that the number of satellites in orbit will increasingly alter the night sky but also worry about potential accidents in space in the future.
