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Comment by BelenusMordred | Hacker News Reader

Can we all chip in for a fund so the countries that have no qualms about the inevitable tragedy of the commons situation can test their anti-sat missiles elsewhere?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Indian_anti-satellite_mis...

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These tests aren't that bad. They are low enough that everything burns up within a year or two. As I understand it's the higher but still low orbits that are at risk of becoming a wall of debris for decades.

Only if those 'western' countries which care so much about the space and environment clean up their mess first. The mess which is many times more than other countries.

I'm not saying that these tests are right but the hypocrisy of these western countries is really baffling at times.

I'm not sure they were pointing out specifically non western countries. According to the article they linked, the US is one of the 4 countries that did such tests.

Yes, and there was a huge qualitative & quantitative difference in the ways in which the the tests were designed & carried out. The US tests were specifically designed to be at altitudes where all debris would quickly de-orbit due to drag. China, OTOH, blasted one of their weather satellites in a much higher orbit - 528mi up - resulting in far higher counts of of high velocity space junk which will orbit for centuries. It was the worst incident of creation of space junk in history [1]. China has since committed to more responsible practices.

[1] https://www.space.com/3415-china-anti-satellite-test-worriso...

I wrote the previous comment with respect to the link provided by the original post. It linked the 2019 Indian Test which was done in a manner that the debris would burn in the atmosphere itself within few weeks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Shakti

> According to Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, some debris might persist for a year, but most should burn up in the atmosphere within several weeks.

The perceived tone of the original post made me comment the previous comment (which is not only true about ASAT missiles but literally everything else). I'm sorry if my judgement of the original post was wrong.

No.

Its unfortunate but countries should invest in anti-satellite technology - especially countries with no bone is the space fight. Should a political situation develop that makes access to satellites advantageous - reducing LEO surveillance satellites to rubble is the best solution.

Since none of the downvotes replied.. I guess you are getting downvotes because others don’t like the idea, though your premise for national security seems reasonable.

Exactly, it's weird to think that militarization of space should be something no one can defend themselves against. If a radar installation or military intelligence unit on land is a valid target, it should be in space too.

This testing and development of ASAT weapons is fully a response to the countries putting military technology in space.

Yes, or let them eat cake?

Besides, the asymmetrical payoff of developing tech to not only neutralise one-sided strategic mega-advantages only increase in leverage the worse the side-effects of the neutralising action become. The negotiating capital this generates (in the India vs China conflict) makes it an almost forced move.

How about we also put a hard limit on the number of allowed satellites in space and auction the remaining "capacity".

Deal. I'm handing the auction. Everyone can start making offers to the auction, I'll accept the best one at the end of June. I'll give my banking details to the winner so they can wire me the money.

That sounds like a lot of work. Can we just post our banking details here, and you withdraw the money if we win?

The 2nd Bank of the Least Antilles

Routing 7381947295

Account 82848917433728

Passphrase: Cash cow

Privacy is so overrated.

This is far to simplistic. The danger of different sat depends on a huge number of factors. A hard limit is nonsense proposal.

There are tons of ideas and plans that have been put forward there is no lack of those.

There is a lack of international cooperation to establish international law. And even within national regulation there is a unwillingness to fully crack down in fear of driving sat providers away.

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