Really great (absolutely terrifying) research by plasma physicist @carlysagan is being highlighted today on https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=02&month=02&year=2024
Is there *anything* that tens of thousands of disposable satellites won't completely fuck up?
Satellite companies need to stop launching until they fund research on the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere(!) and show their plans are safe (which...is probably impossible since they aren't safe).
@sundogplanets @carlysagan It’s ironic that the Van Allen belts were discovered in IGY just as the satellite era started. we’ve deorbited a lot of stuff over the last 60 years. Is there any evidence for changes in charged particles over that time?