Scientist Warns of the Damages Caused by Elon Musk's Satellites on the Atmosphere

SadaNews - A prominent astronomer has warned that the satellites of billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink company could cause an environmental disaster in the Earth's atmosphere, as they continue to fall towards the planet at a rate of one or two satellites daily.

Scientist Jonathon McDowell, who has worked at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics for over 37 years, stated that these satellites could cause significant damage to the stratosphere, particularly the ozone layer, which may lead to increased rates of skin cancer and eye problems due to the higher levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth.

McDowell also pointed out that there are currently over 25,000 pieces of space debris orbiting the Earth, including dead satellites, spent rockets, and fragments resulting from collisions, while the number of operational satellites of SpaceX is about 8,000, with plans to launch more in the coming years, according to a report published by the British "Daily Mail".

More than 2,000 Satellites

According to Spaceflight Now, the company launched more than 2,000 new satellites this year alone, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that these satellites could pose a risk to human life by 2035.

Despite this, Musk dismissed the agency's warnings as "ridiculous and inaccurate," insisting that SpaceX satellites are designed to disintegrate completely upon re-entering the atmosphere.

However, the company acknowledged last February that some satellites do not burn up completely when they return to Earth.

With the increasing number of satellites, McDowell explained that the number of re-entries into the atmosphere could reach five times a day in the coming years.

He warned of the danger of what is known as the "Kessler Syndrome," a cascade of collisions in low Earth orbit that could produce dense clouds of space debris threatening the future of space activities as a whole.