Satellites at risk of collision within days if control is lost
Satellites in low Earth orbit—like SpaceX's Starlink—now face a real risk of crashing into each other just 2.8 days after losing control, according to a new study.
That's a huge change from 2018, when satellites had over 120 days before things got risky.
Researchers Sarah Thiele and Samantha Lawler used their new "CRASH Clock" to highlight how crowded space has become.
Why it matters: More satellites, more problems
With about 13,000 active satellites circling Earth (primarily from companies like SpaceX), even a single day without control means there's a 30% chance of a collision between two cataloged objects in orbit.
Solar storms can make things worse—like the one in May 2024 that forced Starlink and others into emergency maneuvers—and experts warn this could someday trigger chain reactions of debris that would be tough to clean up.