#kesslereffect — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #kesslereffect, aggregated by home.social.
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Russian Nuclear Blast In Space — When Kremlin Blasted 300 KT Of Warhead Over Kazakhstan, Displaying The Power Of EMP Attack
By Shubhangi Palve -
December 17, 2024"Could nuclear warheads wipe out thousands of satellites orbiting Earth? This concept, once explored by the Soviet Union, has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions, raising alarms about the dawn of a new era in space warfare.
"On February 5, 2022, Russia launched #Kosmos2553, which settled into a remote orbit 1,240 miles above Earth—higher than most operational satellites.
"While it appears unassuming, #Cosmos2553 represents a chilling advancement in Russia’s potential to threaten military and commercial satellites using nuclear blasts in space.
"Since its deployment, U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs has kept a vigilant eye on Cosmos 2553.
"In February 2024, the White House publicly acknowledged the satellite as part of a 'troubling' Russian anti-satellite weapon program. While officials clarified it posed no direct physical threat to Earth, its potential to devastate critical satellite networks has raised alarms.
Orbit Of Concern: The Graveyard
"Cosmos 2553 orbits in a region called the #GraveyardOrbit, circling Earth every two hours. Just inside the highly radioactive #VanAllenBelts, this area is sparsely populated—only about 10 defunct satellites are out there.
"Yet, U.S. officials suggest Cosmos 2553 is a testbed for a weapon capable of obliterating hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites, which could cripple global communications and defense infrastructure.
History Of Nuclear Weapons In Space
"Both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with nuclear detonations in space during the 1960s. These tests aimed to understand how nuclear weapons behaved in the upper atmosphere and beyond, often with unforeseen and catastrophic effects.
"The U.S. conducted 11 tests under #OperationFishbowl, with the most famous, #StarfishPrime, detonating 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean in 1962. The blast knocked out radio systems and power grids in Hawaii, leaving a trail of #radiation lingering in Earth’s #magnetosphere for years.
"Meanwhile, the Soviets carried out #ProjectK, a series of nuclear tests between 1961 and 1962. These experiments further highlighted the potential for nuclear weapons to wreak havoc in orbit—generating electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) that could disable satellites and disrupt global systems.
"In this article, we examine the Soviet Project K tests in-depth, exploring how they shaped the early days of space warfare and their lasting implications for today’s emerging threats."
Read more:
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/project-k-can-nuclear-warheads-destroy-satellites-in-orbit/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace
#LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
#NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Russian Nuclear Blast In Space — When Kremlin Blasted 300 KT Of Warhead Over Kazakhstan, Displaying The Power Of EMP Attack
By Shubhangi Palve -
December 17, 2024"Could nuclear warheads wipe out thousands of satellites orbiting Earth? This concept, once explored by the Soviet Union, has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions, raising alarms about the dawn of a new era in space warfare.
"On February 5, 2022, Russia launched #Kosmos2553, which settled into a remote orbit 1,240 miles above Earth—higher than most operational satellites.
"While it appears unassuming, #Cosmos2553 represents a chilling advancement in Russia’s potential to threaten military and commercial satellites using nuclear blasts in space.
"Since its deployment, U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs has kept a vigilant eye on Cosmos 2553.
"In February 2024, the White House publicly acknowledged the satellite as part of a 'troubling' Russian anti-satellite weapon program. While officials clarified it posed no direct physical threat to Earth, its potential to devastate critical satellite networks has raised alarms.
Orbit Of Concern: The Graveyard
"Cosmos 2553 orbits in a region called the #GraveyardOrbit, circling Earth every two hours. Just inside the highly radioactive #VanAllenBelts, this area is sparsely populated—only about 10 defunct satellites are out there.
"Yet, U.S. officials suggest Cosmos 2553 is a testbed for a weapon capable of obliterating hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites, which could cripple global communications and defense infrastructure.
History Of Nuclear Weapons In Space
"Both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with nuclear detonations in space during the 1960s. These tests aimed to understand how nuclear weapons behaved in the upper atmosphere and beyond, often with unforeseen and catastrophic effects.
"The U.S. conducted 11 tests under #OperationFishbowl, with the most famous, #StarfishPrime, detonating 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean in 1962. The blast knocked out radio systems and power grids in Hawaii, leaving a trail of #radiation lingering in Earth’s #magnetosphere for years.
"Meanwhile, the Soviets carried out #ProjectK, a series of nuclear tests between 1961 and 1962. These experiments further highlighted the potential for nuclear weapons to wreak havoc in orbit—generating electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) that could disable satellites and disrupt global systems.
"In this article, we examine the Soviet Project K tests in-depth, exploring how they shaped the early days of space warfare and their lasting implications for today’s emerging threats."
Read more:
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/project-k-can-nuclear-warheads-destroy-satellites-in-orbit/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace
#LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
#NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Russian Nuclear Blast In Space — When Kremlin Blasted 300 KT Of Warhead Over Kazakhstan, Displaying The Power Of EMP Attack
By Shubhangi Palve -
December 17, 2024"Could nuclear warheads wipe out thousands of satellites orbiting Earth? This concept, once explored by the Soviet Union, has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions, raising alarms about the dawn of a new era in space warfare.
"On February 5, 2022, Russia launched #Kosmos2553, which settled into a remote orbit 1,240 miles above Earth—higher than most operational satellites.
"While it appears unassuming, #Cosmos2553 represents a chilling advancement in Russia’s potential to threaten military and commercial satellites using nuclear blasts in space.
"Since its deployment, U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs has kept a vigilant eye on Cosmos 2553.
"In February 2024, the White House publicly acknowledged the satellite as part of a 'troubling' Russian anti-satellite weapon program. While officials clarified it posed no direct physical threat to Earth, its potential to devastate critical satellite networks has raised alarms.
Orbit Of Concern: The Graveyard
"Cosmos 2553 orbits in a region called the #GraveyardOrbit, circling Earth every two hours. Just inside the highly radioactive #VanAllenBelts, this area is sparsely populated—only about 10 defunct satellites are out there.
"Yet, U.S. officials suggest Cosmos 2553 is a testbed for a weapon capable of obliterating hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites, which could cripple global communications and defense infrastructure.
History Of Nuclear Weapons In Space
"Both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with nuclear detonations in space during the 1960s. These tests aimed to understand how nuclear weapons behaved in the upper atmosphere and beyond, often with unforeseen and catastrophic effects.
"The U.S. conducted 11 tests under #OperationFishbowl, with the most famous, #StarfishPrime, detonating 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean in 1962. The blast knocked out radio systems and power grids in Hawaii, leaving a trail of #radiation lingering in Earth’s #magnetosphere for years.
"Meanwhile, the Soviets carried out #ProjectK, a series of nuclear tests between 1961 and 1962. These experiments further highlighted the potential for nuclear weapons to wreak havoc in orbit—generating electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) that could disable satellites and disrupt global systems.
"In this article, we examine the Soviet Project K tests in-depth, exploring how they shaped the early days of space warfare and their lasting implications for today’s emerging threats."
Read more:
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/project-k-can-nuclear-warheads-destroy-satellites-in-orbit/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace
#LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
#NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Russian Nuclear Blast In Space — When Kremlin Blasted 300 KT Of Warhead Over Kazakhstan, Displaying The Power Of EMP Attack
By Shubhangi Palve -
December 17, 2024"Could nuclear warheads wipe out thousands of satellites orbiting Earth? This concept, once explored by the Soviet Union, has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions, raising alarms about the dawn of a new era in space warfare.
"On February 5, 2022, Russia launched #Kosmos2553, which settled into a remote orbit 1,240 miles above Earth—higher than most operational satellites.
"While it appears unassuming, #Cosmos2553 represents a chilling advancement in Russia’s potential to threaten military and commercial satellites using nuclear blasts in space.
"Since its deployment, U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs has kept a vigilant eye on Cosmos 2553.
"In February 2024, the White House publicly acknowledged the satellite as part of a 'troubling' Russian anti-satellite weapon program. While officials clarified it posed no direct physical threat to Earth, its potential to devastate critical satellite networks has raised alarms.
Orbit Of Concern: The Graveyard
"Cosmos 2553 orbits in a region called the #GraveyardOrbit, circling Earth every two hours. Just inside the highly radioactive #VanAllenBelts, this area is sparsely populated—only about 10 defunct satellites are out there.
"Yet, U.S. officials suggest Cosmos 2553 is a testbed for a weapon capable of obliterating hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites, which could cripple global communications and defense infrastructure.
History Of Nuclear Weapons In Space
"Both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with nuclear detonations in space during the 1960s. These tests aimed to understand how nuclear weapons behaved in the upper atmosphere and beyond, often with unforeseen and catastrophic effects.
"The U.S. conducted 11 tests under #OperationFishbowl, with the most famous, #StarfishPrime, detonating 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean in 1962. The blast knocked out radio systems and power grids in Hawaii, leaving a trail of #radiation lingering in Earth’s #magnetosphere for years.
"Meanwhile, the Soviets carried out #ProjectK, a series of nuclear tests between 1961 and 1962. These experiments further highlighted the potential for nuclear weapons to wreak havoc in orbit—generating electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) that could disable satellites and disrupt global systems.
"In this article, we examine the Soviet Project K tests in-depth, exploring how they shaped the early days of space warfare and their lasting implications for today’s emerging threats."
Read more:
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/project-k-can-nuclear-warheads-destroy-satellites-in-orbit/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace
#LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
#NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Russian Nuclear Blast In Space — When Kremlin Blasted 300 KT Of Warhead Over Kazakhstan, Displaying The Power Of EMP Attack
By Shubhangi Palve -
December 17, 2024"Could nuclear warheads wipe out thousands of satellites orbiting Earth? This concept, once explored by the Soviet Union, has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions, raising alarms about the dawn of a new era in space warfare.
"On February 5, 2022, Russia launched #Kosmos2553, which settled into a remote orbit 1,240 miles above Earth—higher than most operational satellites.
"While it appears unassuming, #Cosmos2553 represents a chilling advancement in Russia’s potential to threaten military and commercial satellites using nuclear blasts in space.
"Since its deployment, U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs has kept a vigilant eye on Cosmos 2553.
"In February 2024, the White House publicly acknowledged the satellite as part of a 'troubling' Russian anti-satellite weapon program. While officials clarified it posed no direct physical threat to Earth, its potential to devastate critical satellite networks has raised alarms.
Orbit Of Concern: The Graveyard
"Cosmos 2553 orbits in a region called the #GraveyardOrbit, circling Earth every two hours. Just inside the highly radioactive #VanAllenBelts, this area is sparsely populated—only about 10 defunct satellites are out there.
"Yet, U.S. officials suggest Cosmos 2553 is a testbed for a weapon capable of obliterating hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites, which could cripple global communications and defense infrastructure.
History Of Nuclear Weapons In Space
"Both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with nuclear detonations in space during the 1960s. These tests aimed to understand how nuclear weapons behaved in the upper atmosphere and beyond, often with unforeseen and catastrophic effects.
"The U.S. conducted 11 tests under #OperationFishbowl, with the most famous, #StarfishPrime, detonating 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean in 1962. The blast knocked out radio systems and power grids in Hawaii, leaving a trail of #radiation lingering in Earth’s #magnetosphere for years.
"Meanwhile, the Soviets carried out #ProjectK, a series of nuclear tests between 1961 and 1962. These experiments further highlighted the potential for nuclear weapons to wreak havoc in orbit—generating electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) that could disable satellites and disrupt global systems.
"In this article, we examine the Soviet Project K tests in-depth, exploring how they shaped the early days of space warfare and their lasting implications for today’s emerging threats."
Read more:
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/project-k-can-nuclear-warheads-destroy-satellites-in-orbit/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace
#LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
#NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
What Happens if a Nuke Goes Off in Space?
Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea
By Allison Parshall, June 13, 2024
"The auroras over Hawaii on the night of July 8, 1962, were unlike any that humans had ever witnessed. 'N-Blast Tonight May Be Dazzling; Good View Likely,' read a headline in the Honolulu Advertiser beforehand. Nine seconds after 11 P.M., a startling flash set the sky aglow like eerie daylight, slowly fading from green to yellow to orange before settling on a vivid, unsettling red.
"The U.S. had just detonated a thermonuclear bomb 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Launched on a missile from Johnston Atoll, a U.S. unincorporated territory between the Marshall Islands and Hawaii, the bomb exploded at 250 miles above Earth’s surface—around the altitude in #LowEarthOrbit of most modern-day satellites. This event, called #StarfishPrime, wasn’t the first or last time that the U.S. or Soviet Union tested nuclear weapons in space (there were more than a dozen tests between 1958 and 1962), but it was the most impactful. The blast generated a power surge over the Pacific Ocean that knocked out about 300 streetlights on the island of Oahu—and destroyed or damaged about a third of the roughly two dozen satellites then in orbit.
" 'The Starfish Prime shot is sort of the poster child for why we don’t like nukes blowing up in space,' says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Indeed, only a few years later, in 1967, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed on to the Outer Space Treaty, which forbade putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
"Now, some six decades after the last nuclear detonation in Earth orbit, the threat of another has emerged with the Department of Defense warning about a potential Russian program to place a nuke in space. When the United Nations Security Council recently put forward a resolution to reaffirm the ban on such weapons, Russia vetoed the measure. U.S. officials have said there is no 'imminent threat' because no warheads are known to be in space.* But they have deemed the prospect 'deeply troubling' because a nuclear detonation there today would be far more destructive than even Starfish Prime."
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-if-a-nuclear-weapon-goes-off-in-space/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
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What Happens if a Nuke Goes Off in Space?
Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea
By Allison Parshall, June 13, 2024
"The auroras over Hawaii on the night of July 8, 1962, were unlike any that humans had ever witnessed. 'N-Blast Tonight May Be Dazzling; Good View Likely,' read a headline in the Honolulu Advertiser beforehand. Nine seconds after 11 P.M., a startling flash set the sky aglow like eerie daylight, slowly fading from green to yellow to orange before settling on a vivid, unsettling red.
"The U.S. had just detonated a thermonuclear bomb 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Launched on a missile from Johnston Atoll, a U.S. unincorporated territory between the Marshall Islands and Hawaii, the bomb exploded at 250 miles above Earth’s surface—around the altitude in #LowEarthOrbit of most modern-day satellites. This event, called #StarfishPrime, wasn’t the first or last time that the U.S. or Soviet Union tested nuclear weapons in space (there were more than a dozen tests between 1958 and 1962), but it was the most impactful. The blast generated a power surge over the Pacific Ocean that knocked out about 300 streetlights on the island of Oahu—and destroyed or damaged about a third of the roughly two dozen satellites then in orbit.
" 'The Starfish Prime shot is sort of the poster child for why we don’t like nukes blowing up in space,' says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Indeed, only a few years later, in 1967, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed on to the Outer Space Treaty, which forbade putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
"Now, some six decades after the last nuclear detonation in Earth orbit, the threat of another has emerged with the Department of Defense warning about a potential Russian program to place a nuke in space. When the United Nations Security Council recently put forward a resolution to reaffirm the ban on such weapons, Russia vetoed the measure. U.S. officials have said there is no 'imminent threat' because no warheads are known to be in space.* But they have deemed the prospect 'deeply troubling' because a nuclear detonation there today would be far more destructive than even Starfish Prime."
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-if-a-nuclear-weapon-goes-off-in-space/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
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What Happens if a Nuke Goes Off in Space?
Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea
By Allison Parshall, June 13, 2024
"The auroras over Hawaii on the night of July 8, 1962, were unlike any that humans had ever witnessed. 'N-Blast Tonight May Be Dazzling; Good View Likely,' read a headline in the Honolulu Advertiser beforehand. Nine seconds after 11 P.M., a startling flash set the sky aglow like eerie daylight, slowly fading from green to yellow to orange before settling on a vivid, unsettling red.
"The U.S. had just detonated a thermonuclear bomb 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Launched on a missile from Johnston Atoll, a U.S. unincorporated territory between the Marshall Islands and Hawaii, the bomb exploded at 250 miles above Earth’s surface—around the altitude in #LowEarthOrbit of most modern-day satellites. This event, called #StarfishPrime, wasn’t the first or last time that the U.S. or Soviet Union tested nuclear weapons in space (there were more than a dozen tests between 1958 and 1962), but it was the most impactful. The blast generated a power surge over the Pacific Ocean that knocked out about 300 streetlights on the island of Oahu—and destroyed or damaged about a third of the roughly two dozen satellites then in orbit.
" 'The Starfish Prime shot is sort of the poster child for why we don’t like nukes blowing up in space,' says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Indeed, only a few years later, in 1967, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed on to the Outer Space Treaty, which forbade putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
"Now, some six decades after the last nuclear detonation in Earth orbit, the threat of another has emerged with the Department of Defense warning about a potential Russian program to place a nuke in space. When the United Nations Security Council recently put forward a resolution to reaffirm the ban on such weapons, Russia vetoed the measure. U.S. officials have said there is no 'imminent threat' because no warheads are known to be in space.* But they have deemed the prospect 'deeply troubling' because a nuclear detonation there today would be far more destructive than even Starfish Prime."
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-if-a-nuclear-weapon-goes-off-in-space/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
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What Happens if a Nuke Goes Off in Space?
Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea
By Allison Parshall, June 13, 2024
"The auroras over Hawaii on the night of July 8, 1962, were unlike any that humans had ever witnessed. 'N-Blast Tonight May Be Dazzling; Good View Likely,' read a headline in the Honolulu Advertiser beforehand. Nine seconds after 11 P.M., a startling flash set the sky aglow like eerie daylight, slowly fading from green to yellow to orange before settling on a vivid, unsettling red.
"The U.S. had just detonated a thermonuclear bomb 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Launched on a missile from Johnston Atoll, a U.S. unincorporated territory between the Marshall Islands and Hawaii, the bomb exploded at 250 miles above Earth’s surface—around the altitude in #LowEarthOrbit of most modern-day satellites. This event, called #StarfishPrime, wasn’t the first or last time that the U.S. or Soviet Union tested nuclear weapons in space (there were more than a dozen tests between 1958 and 1962), but it was the most impactful. The blast generated a power surge over the Pacific Ocean that knocked out about 300 streetlights on the island of Oahu—and destroyed or damaged about a third of the roughly two dozen satellites then in orbit.
" 'The Starfish Prime shot is sort of the poster child for why we don’t like nukes blowing up in space,' says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Indeed, only a few years later, in 1967, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed on to the Outer Space Treaty, which forbade putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
"Now, some six decades after the last nuclear detonation in Earth orbit, the threat of another has emerged with the Department of Defense warning about a potential Russian program to place a nuke in space. When the United Nations Security Council recently put forward a resolution to reaffirm the ban on such weapons, Russia vetoed the measure. U.S. officials have said there is no 'imminent threat' because no warheads are known to be in space.* But they have deemed the prospect 'deeply troubling' because a nuclear detonation there today would be far more destructive than even Starfish Prime."
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-if-a-nuclear-weapon-goes-off-in-space/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
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What Happens if a Nuke Goes Off in Space?
Russia may be planning to put a nuclear weapon in orbit. We have known since the 1960s why that is a bad idea
By Allison Parshall, June 13, 2024
"The auroras over Hawaii on the night of July 8, 1962, were unlike any that humans had ever witnessed. 'N-Blast Tonight May Be Dazzling; Good View Likely,' read a headline in the Honolulu Advertiser beforehand. Nine seconds after 11 P.M., a startling flash set the sky aglow like eerie daylight, slowly fading from green to yellow to orange before settling on a vivid, unsettling red.
"The U.S. had just detonated a thermonuclear bomb 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Launched on a missile from Johnston Atoll, a U.S. unincorporated territory between the Marshall Islands and Hawaii, the bomb exploded at 250 miles above Earth’s surface—around the altitude in #LowEarthOrbit of most modern-day satellites. This event, called #StarfishPrime, wasn’t the first or last time that the U.S. or Soviet Union tested nuclear weapons in space (there were more than a dozen tests between 1958 and 1962), but it was the most impactful. The blast generated a power surge over the Pacific Ocean that knocked out about 300 streetlights on the island of Oahu—and destroyed or damaged about a third of the roughly two dozen satellites then in orbit.
" 'The Starfish Prime shot is sort of the poster child for why we don’t like nukes blowing up in space,' says Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Indeed, only a few years later, in 1967, both the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed on to the Outer Space Treaty, which forbade putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
"Now, some six decades after the last nuclear detonation in Earth orbit, the threat of another has emerged with the Department of Defense warning about a potential Russian program to place a nuke in space. When the United Nations Security Council recently put forward a resolution to reaffirm the ban on such weapons, Russia vetoed the measure. U.S. officials have said there is no 'imminent threat' because no warheads are known to be in space.* But they have deemed the prospect 'deeply troubling' because a nuclear detonation there today would be far more destructive than even Starfish Prime."
Read more:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-if-a-nuclear-weapon-goes-off-in-space/#NukesInSpace #NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
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Orbiting Armageddon: Russia’s #EMP Threat from Space and Transatlantic Responses
Apr 17, 2025
Excerpt: "If a #NuclearBomb were detonated in orbit, the physical effects would be unlike a typical terrestrial nuclear blast. There would be no mushroom cloud or shock wave in the vacuum of space. Instead, the weapon’s energy would be released as intense radiation and electromagnetic pulses (Scientific American).
"#Satellites within line of sight of the explosion would be instantly subjected to a blinding flash of gamma rays and X-rays, likely frying their electronics on contact (Scientific American). Moments after, a powerful #EMP would form as the bomb’s gamma radiation ionizes the upper atmosphere. This process, known as the #ComptonEffect, releases billions of high-energy electrons that race along Earth’s magnetic field lines (Scientific American). The result is an expanding wave of electromagnetic energy.
"U.S. defense officials have described this kind of space-triggered EMP as a 'massive energy wave' that could 'destroy satellites' and disrupt a vast swath of the satellites that the world depends on for communication and commerce (Carnegie). In essence, one orbital blast could simultaneously knock out numerous satellites – military and civilian – that are crucial to GPS navigation, telephone and internet links, financial transactions, weather forecasting, and more.
"An EMP from space could also induce chaos on the ground. The pulse would interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to send geomagnetically induced currents surging through power lines and electronic networks (Aerospace America). In 1962, the U.S. #StarfishPrime test proved this danger: although detonated 400 kilometers above the Pacific, its EMP caused voltage spikes that blew out 300 streetlights and knocked out telephone lines in Hawaii, nearly 1,500 kilometers away (Scientific American , Aerospace America).
"An orbital detonation today, especially if positioned over populated regions, could overload electrical grids across vast areas. Transformers and grid infrastructure could be destroyed by the sudden, uncontrolled currents (Aerospace America). The scale of blackout could range over one or several countries, depending on the weapon’s altitude and yield. Experts warn that such a scenario would be devastating.
"A U.S. Congressional commission on EMP found that a nationwide power outage caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast could collapse critical infrastructure – an outcome it described as a potential
'civilization killer' if power and services were not restored quickly (Carnegie). In addition to massive economic damage, the disruption of communication and radar networks would impair defense capabilities, complicating crisis management during the very moment it’s most needed."Beyond the immediate blast and pulse, a space-based nuclear explosion would have a long-duration effect that could be even more damaging to space infrastructure. The explosion’s charged particles would become trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, forming an artificial radiation belt encircling the planet (Scientific American).
"This is exactly what happened after Starfish Prime: a man-made #RadiationBelt lingered for years, eventually destroying a third of all satellites in orbit at the time (Scientific American). In today’s environment, with thousands of satellites, the consequences would be dire. The intense radiation would bathe #LowEarthOrbit, causing surviving satellites to degrade and fail over the ensuing days, weeks, and months (Aerospace America). Many satellites that weren’t immediately destroyed would succumb to this enhanced radiation environment.
"Nearly 10,000 active satellites now orbit Earth, and most are not designed to withstand extreme nuclear radiation (Aerospace America). Critical constellations – for example, #SpaceX’s #Starlink network of small satellites (over 6,000 in orbit) that provides high-speed broadband, including to Ukrainian forces – would likely be heavily degraded or completely knocked offline (Scientific American). Replacement of satellites would be hampered as well: the orbital 'fallout' zone could remain dangerous for new satellites for years, denying space to any fresh deployments (Aerospace America). Even astronauts and cosmonauts in space could be in peril."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PPMrQ#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect
#KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Orbiting Armageddon: Russia’s #EMP Threat from Space and Transatlantic Responses
Apr 17, 2025
Excerpt: "If a #NuclearBomb were detonated in orbit, the physical effects would be unlike a typical terrestrial nuclear blast. There would be no mushroom cloud or shock wave in the vacuum of space. Instead, the weapon’s energy would be released as intense radiation and electromagnetic pulses (Scientific American).
"#Satellites within line of sight of the explosion would be instantly subjected to a blinding flash of gamma rays and X-rays, likely frying their electronics on contact (Scientific American). Moments after, a powerful #EMP would form as the bomb’s gamma radiation ionizes the upper atmosphere. This process, known as the #ComptonEffect, releases billions of high-energy electrons that race along Earth’s magnetic field lines (Scientific American). The result is an expanding wave of electromagnetic energy.
"U.S. defense officials have described this kind of space-triggered EMP as a 'massive energy wave' that could 'destroy satellites' and disrupt a vast swath of the satellites that the world depends on for communication and commerce (Carnegie). In essence, one orbital blast could simultaneously knock out numerous satellites – military and civilian – that are crucial to GPS navigation, telephone and internet links, financial transactions, weather forecasting, and more.
"An EMP from space could also induce chaos on the ground. The pulse would interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to send geomagnetically induced currents surging through power lines and electronic networks (Aerospace America). In 1962, the U.S. #StarfishPrime test proved this danger: although detonated 400 kilometers above the Pacific, its EMP caused voltage spikes that blew out 300 streetlights and knocked out telephone lines in Hawaii, nearly 1,500 kilometers away (Scientific American , Aerospace America).
"An orbital detonation today, especially if positioned over populated regions, could overload electrical grids across vast areas. Transformers and grid infrastructure could be destroyed by the sudden, uncontrolled currents (Aerospace America). The scale of blackout could range over one or several countries, depending on the weapon’s altitude and yield. Experts warn that such a scenario would be devastating.
"A U.S. Congressional commission on EMP found that a nationwide power outage caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast could collapse critical infrastructure – an outcome it described as a potential
'civilization killer' if power and services were not restored quickly (Carnegie). In addition to massive economic damage, the disruption of communication and radar networks would impair defense capabilities, complicating crisis management during the very moment it’s most needed."Beyond the immediate blast and pulse, a space-based nuclear explosion would have a long-duration effect that could be even more damaging to space infrastructure. The explosion’s charged particles would become trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, forming an artificial radiation belt encircling the planet (Scientific American).
"This is exactly what happened after Starfish Prime: a man-made #RadiationBelt lingered for years, eventually destroying a third of all satellites in orbit at the time (Scientific American). In today’s environment, with thousands of satellites, the consequences would be dire. The intense radiation would bathe #LowEarthOrbit, causing surviving satellites to degrade and fail over the ensuing days, weeks, and months (Aerospace America). Many satellites that weren’t immediately destroyed would succumb to this enhanced radiation environment.
"Nearly 10,000 active satellites now orbit Earth, and most are not designed to withstand extreme nuclear radiation (Aerospace America). Critical constellations – for example, #SpaceX’s #Starlink network of small satellites (over 6,000 in orbit) that provides high-speed broadband, including to Ukrainian forces – would likely be heavily degraded or completely knocked offline (Scientific American). Replacement of satellites would be hampered as well: the orbital 'fallout' zone could remain dangerous for new satellites for years, denying space to any fresh deployments (Aerospace America). Even astronauts and cosmonauts in space could be in peril."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PPMrQ#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect
#KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Orbiting Armageddon: Russia’s #EMP Threat from Space and Transatlantic Responses
Apr 17, 2025
Excerpt: "If a #NuclearBomb were detonated in orbit, the physical effects would be unlike a typical terrestrial nuclear blast. There would be no mushroom cloud or shock wave in the vacuum of space. Instead, the weapon’s energy would be released as intense radiation and electromagnetic pulses (Scientific American).
"#Satellites within line of sight of the explosion would be instantly subjected to a blinding flash of gamma rays and X-rays, likely frying their electronics on contact (Scientific American). Moments after, a powerful #EMP would form as the bomb’s gamma radiation ionizes the upper atmosphere. This process, known as the #ComptonEffect, releases billions of high-energy electrons that race along Earth’s magnetic field lines (Scientific American). The result is an expanding wave of electromagnetic energy.
"U.S. defense officials have described this kind of space-triggered EMP as a 'massive energy wave' that could 'destroy satellites' and disrupt a vast swath of the satellites that the world depends on for communication and commerce (Carnegie). In essence, one orbital blast could simultaneously knock out numerous satellites – military and civilian – that are crucial to GPS navigation, telephone and internet links, financial transactions, weather forecasting, and more.
"An EMP from space could also induce chaos on the ground. The pulse would interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to send geomagnetically induced currents surging through power lines and electronic networks (Aerospace America). In 1962, the U.S. #StarfishPrime test proved this danger: although detonated 400 kilometers above the Pacific, its EMP caused voltage spikes that blew out 300 streetlights and knocked out telephone lines in Hawaii, nearly 1,500 kilometers away (Scientific American , Aerospace America).
"An orbital detonation today, especially if positioned over populated regions, could overload electrical grids across vast areas. Transformers and grid infrastructure could be destroyed by the sudden, uncontrolled currents (Aerospace America). The scale of blackout could range over one or several countries, depending on the weapon’s altitude and yield. Experts warn that such a scenario would be devastating.
"A U.S. Congressional commission on EMP found that a nationwide power outage caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast could collapse critical infrastructure – an outcome it described as a potential
'civilization killer' if power and services were not restored quickly (Carnegie). In addition to massive economic damage, the disruption of communication and radar networks would impair defense capabilities, complicating crisis management during the very moment it’s most needed."Beyond the immediate blast and pulse, a space-based nuclear explosion would have a long-duration effect that could be even more damaging to space infrastructure. The explosion’s charged particles would become trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, forming an artificial radiation belt encircling the planet (Scientific American).
"This is exactly what happened after Starfish Prime: a man-made #RadiationBelt lingered for years, eventually destroying a third of all satellites in orbit at the time (Scientific American). In today’s environment, with thousands of satellites, the consequences would be dire. The intense radiation would bathe #LowEarthOrbit, causing surviving satellites to degrade and fail over the ensuing days, weeks, and months (Aerospace America). Many satellites that weren’t immediately destroyed would succumb to this enhanced radiation environment.
"Nearly 10,000 active satellites now orbit Earth, and most are not designed to withstand extreme nuclear radiation (Aerospace America). Critical constellations – for example, #SpaceX’s #Starlink network of small satellites (over 6,000 in orbit) that provides high-speed broadband, including to Ukrainian forces – would likely be heavily degraded or completely knocked offline (Scientific American). Replacement of satellites would be hampered as well: the orbital 'fallout' zone could remain dangerous for new satellites for years, denying space to any fresh deployments (Aerospace America). Even astronauts and cosmonauts in space could be in peril."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PPMrQ#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect
#KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Orbiting Armageddon: Russia’s #EMP Threat from Space and Transatlantic Responses
Apr 17, 2025
Excerpt: "If a #NuclearBomb were detonated in orbit, the physical effects would be unlike a typical terrestrial nuclear blast. There would be no mushroom cloud or shock wave in the vacuum of space. Instead, the weapon’s energy would be released as intense radiation and electromagnetic pulses (Scientific American).
"#Satellites within line of sight of the explosion would be instantly subjected to a blinding flash of gamma rays and X-rays, likely frying their electronics on contact (Scientific American). Moments after, a powerful #EMP would form as the bomb’s gamma radiation ionizes the upper atmosphere. This process, known as the #ComptonEffect, releases billions of high-energy electrons that race along Earth’s magnetic field lines (Scientific American). The result is an expanding wave of electromagnetic energy.
"U.S. defense officials have described this kind of space-triggered EMP as a 'massive energy wave' that could 'destroy satellites' and disrupt a vast swath of the satellites that the world depends on for communication and commerce (Carnegie). In essence, one orbital blast could simultaneously knock out numerous satellites – military and civilian – that are crucial to GPS navigation, telephone and internet links, financial transactions, weather forecasting, and more.
"An EMP from space could also induce chaos on the ground. The pulse would interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to send geomagnetically induced currents surging through power lines and electronic networks (Aerospace America). In 1962, the U.S. #StarfishPrime test proved this danger: although detonated 400 kilometers above the Pacific, its EMP caused voltage spikes that blew out 300 streetlights and knocked out telephone lines in Hawaii, nearly 1,500 kilometers away (Scientific American , Aerospace America).
"An orbital detonation today, especially if positioned over populated regions, could overload electrical grids across vast areas. Transformers and grid infrastructure could be destroyed by the sudden, uncontrolled currents (Aerospace America). The scale of blackout could range over one or several countries, depending on the weapon’s altitude and yield. Experts warn that such a scenario would be devastating.
"A U.S. Congressional commission on EMP found that a nationwide power outage caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast could collapse critical infrastructure – an outcome it described as a potential
'civilization killer' if power and services were not restored quickly (Carnegie). In addition to massive economic damage, the disruption of communication and radar networks would impair defense capabilities, complicating crisis management during the very moment it’s most needed."Beyond the immediate blast and pulse, a space-based nuclear explosion would have a long-duration effect that could be even more damaging to space infrastructure. The explosion’s charged particles would become trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, forming an artificial radiation belt encircling the planet (Scientific American).
"This is exactly what happened after Starfish Prime: a man-made #RadiationBelt lingered for years, eventually destroying a third of all satellites in orbit at the time (Scientific American). In today’s environment, with thousands of satellites, the consequences would be dire. The intense radiation would bathe #LowEarthOrbit, causing surviving satellites to degrade and fail over the ensuing days, weeks, and months (Aerospace America). Many satellites that weren’t immediately destroyed would succumb to this enhanced radiation environment.
"Nearly 10,000 active satellites now orbit Earth, and most are not designed to withstand extreme nuclear radiation (Aerospace America). Critical constellations – for example, #SpaceX’s #Starlink network of small satellites (over 6,000 in orbit) that provides high-speed broadband, including to Ukrainian forces – would likely be heavily degraded or completely knocked offline (Scientific American). Replacement of satellites would be hampered as well: the orbital 'fallout' zone could remain dangerous for new satellites for years, denying space to any fresh deployments (Aerospace America). Even astronauts and cosmonauts in space could be in peril."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PPMrQ#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect
#KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
Orbiting Armageddon: Russia’s #EMP Threat from Space and Transatlantic Responses
Apr 17, 2025
Excerpt: "If a #NuclearBomb were detonated in orbit, the physical effects would be unlike a typical terrestrial nuclear blast. There would be no mushroom cloud or shock wave in the vacuum of space. Instead, the weapon’s energy would be released as intense radiation and electromagnetic pulses (Scientific American).
"#Satellites within line of sight of the explosion would be instantly subjected to a blinding flash of gamma rays and X-rays, likely frying their electronics on contact (Scientific American). Moments after, a powerful #EMP would form as the bomb’s gamma radiation ionizes the upper atmosphere. This process, known as the #ComptonEffect, releases billions of high-energy electrons that race along Earth’s magnetic field lines (Scientific American). The result is an expanding wave of electromagnetic energy.
"U.S. defense officials have described this kind of space-triggered EMP as a 'massive energy wave' that could 'destroy satellites' and disrupt a vast swath of the satellites that the world depends on for communication and commerce (Carnegie). In essence, one orbital blast could simultaneously knock out numerous satellites – military and civilian – that are crucial to GPS navigation, telephone and internet links, financial transactions, weather forecasting, and more.
"An EMP from space could also induce chaos on the ground. The pulse would interact with Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field to send geomagnetically induced currents surging through power lines and electronic networks (Aerospace America). In 1962, the U.S. #StarfishPrime test proved this danger: although detonated 400 kilometers above the Pacific, its EMP caused voltage spikes that blew out 300 streetlights and knocked out telephone lines in Hawaii, nearly 1,500 kilometers away (Scientific American , Aerospace America).
"An orbital detonation today, especially if positioned over populated regions, could overload electrical grids across vast areas. Transformers and grid infrastructure could be destroyed by the sudden, uncontrolled currents (Aerospace America). The scale of blackout could range over one or several countries, depending on the weapon’s altitude and yield. Experts warn that such a scenario would be devastating.
"A U.S. Congressional commission on EMP found that a nationwide power outage caused by a high-altitude nuclear blast could collapse critical infrastructure – an outcome it described as a potential
'civilization killer' if power and services were not restored quickly (Carnegie). In addition to massive economic damage, the disruption of communication and radar networks would impair defense capabilities, complicating crisis management during the very moment it’s most needed."Beyond the immediate blast and pulse, a space-based nuclear explosion would have a long-duration effect that could be even more damaging to space infrastructure. The explosion’s charged particles would become trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, forming an artificial radiation belt encircling the planet (Scientific American).
"This is exactly what happened after Starfish Prime: a man-made #RadiationBelt lingered for years, eventually destroying a third of all satellites in orbit at the time (Scientific American). In today’s environment, with thousands of satellites, the consequences would be dire. The intense radiation would bathe #LowEarthOrbit, causing surviving satellites to degrade and fail over the ensuing days, weeks, and months (Aerospace America). Many satellites that weren’t immediately destroyed would succumb to this enhanced radiation environment.
"Nearly 10,000 active satellites now orbit Earth, and most are not designed to withstand extreme nuclear radiation (Aerospace America). Critical constellations – for example, #SpaceX’s #Starlink network of small satellites (over 6,000 in orbit) that provides high-speed broadband, including to Ukrainian forces – would likely be heavily degraded or completely knocked offline (Scientific American). Replacement of satellites would be hampered as well: the orbital 'fallout' zone could remain dangerous for new satellites for years, denying space to any fresh deployments (Aerospace America). Even astronauts and cosmonauts in space could be in peril."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PPMrQ#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect
#KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites -
[Thread] In the news... #NukesInSpace!!!
A new US military wargame series began by simulating a #NuclearWeapon in orbit
US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.
Stephen Clark – May 13, 2026
"US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit."
#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
-
[Thread] In the news... #NukesInSpace!!!
A new US military wargame series began by simulating a #NuclearWeapon in orbit
US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.
Stephen Clark – May 13, 2026
"US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit."
#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
-
[Thread] In the news... #NukesInSpace!!!
A new US military wargame series began by simulating a #NuclearWeapon in orbit
US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.
Stephen Clark – May 13, 2026
"US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit."
#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
-
[Thread] In the news... #NukesInSpace!!!
A new US military wargame series began by simulating a #NuclearWeapon in orbit
US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.
Stephen Clark – May 13, 2026
"US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit."
#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
-
[Thread] In the news... #NukesInSpace!!!
A new US military wargame series began by simulating a #NuclearWeapon in orbit
US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.
Stephen Clark – May 13, 2026
"US Space Command is inviting commercial companies to participate in a new series of classified wargames. The first exercise simulated a scenario involving a potential nuclear detonation in orbit."
#NoNukesInSpace #LEO #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #NoNukes #NoWar #NuclearWeapons #Satellites
-
More reasons to say "No!" to #SpaceX and #Starlink (and other unnecessary satellites!).
SpaceX rocket fireball linked to plume of polluting lithium
Georgina Rannard, Science reporter, February 19, 2025
Excerpts: "When a SpaceX rocket failure set the skies aflame over western Europe last February, no-one was sure if the debris was also polluting our #atmosphere.
"Now scientists are directly linking the uncontrolled rocket re-entry to a plume of #lithium measured less than 100km above Earth.
"It is the first time researchers have drawn a direct link between a known piece of #SpaceDebris crashing to Earth and #pollution levels.
They warn that as SpaceX chief #ElonMusk pledges to launch one million satellites in the coming years, this #contamination could be the tip of the iceberg."
[...]
"Earlier research has suggested that 10% of aerosols in the atmosphere are already contaminated by space debris.
"SpaceX has not responded to emailed requests from BBC News for comment. The researchers also sent their findings to the company but did not receive a response.
"Almost 30,000 pieces of debris are calculated to be free-floating in space, created when rockets break up in space or satellites disintegrate.
"Scientists warn that the debris is congesting space and threatens collision with rockets, the International Space Station, and our planet.
"Musk's SpaceX is the world's leading company for rocket launches including for sending humans into space and maintaining a network of 10,000 Starlink internet satellites.
"Musk recently announced he has applied to launch one million satellites to support #ArtificialIntelligence (#AI) data centres in space.
"Scientists warn that as humans move more activities off-Earth, more debris will fall to Earth, polluting as it plummets."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd8z4eqlxno#LithiumPollution #AtmosphericPollution #NoAIInSpace #NoDatacentersInSpace #LEO #KesslerEffect #SpaceJunk #DarkSkies #LowerEarthOrbit #LEO #AIBullshitMachines #TechBros #xAI #Technopoly #SpacePollution
#AISucks #DataCenters #SkyNet #KesslerSyndrome #USPol #WorldPol #SpaceNews -
This #SpaceX Situation: Not Good!
by Jason Koebler, Feb 5, 2026
Excerpt: "There are many reasons that 'AI data centers in space' may be a pipe dream and may not happen, but what he is proposing is a magnitude of #SpaceJunk that no other company could plausibly promise to launch. Data centers or not, SpaceX is now dominating #LowEarthOrbit in a way no other company or country has. While Musk has been gutting the federal government, interfering in #elections, allowing people to generate #CSAM, engaging in white supremacy, planning trips to #EpsteinsIsland, implanting #chips into people’s brains, siphoning off taxpayer money to build ridiculous tunnels, giving his sperm to whoever will take it, turning his cars into experimental robot taxis, and pretending to build #HumanoidRobots, #SpaceX has somewhat (?) quietly #colonized and dominated low earth orbit.
"Musk has taken this space for his own use, concerns about #LightPollution, satellite collisions, and telecom #monopolies be damned. This has always been concerning, but explicitly intertwining the aspirations and fate of SpaceX with Musk’s CSAM generating social media website, his #AIBullshitMachines, and his right wing political project is horrifying and monopolistic. What happens next, I have no idea."
Read more:
https://www.404media.co/this-spacex-situation-not-goodArchived version:
https://archive.ph/vUubi#TechBros #Technopoly #DarkSkies #SpacePollution #AISucks #DataCenters #SkyNet #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #USPol #WorldPol #SpaceNews #EpsteinFiles
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#SpaceX acquires #xAI, plans to launch a massive #SatelliteConstellation to power it
“This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI’s mission.”
Eric Berger – Feb 2, 2026
"SpaceX has formally acquired another one of Elon Musk’s companies, xAi, the space company announced on Monday afternoon.
“SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world’s foremost real-time information and free speech platform,' the company said. 'This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI’s mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the Universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!' [How much Special-K did you take, dude?]
"The merging of what is arguably Musk’s most successful company, SpaceX, with the more speculative xAI venture is a risk. Founded in 2023, xAI’s main products are the generative AI chatbot Grok and the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. The company aims to compete with OpenAI and other artificial intelligence firms. However, Grok has been controversial, including the sexualization of women and children through AI-generated images, as has Musk’s management of Twitter."
#USPol #WorldPol #ElonSucks #SkyNet #AISucks #DarkSkies #SpacePollution #SatellitePollution #LowEarthOrbit #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrom
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From #SolarHam - Progression of new #Sunspot #AR4366 (not yet Earth-facing, but will be soon):
"Sunspot Watch
January 31, 2026 @ 04:15 UTC
Newly assigned sunspot region 4366 continues to gradually develop as it turns into view in the northeast quadrant. It is currently producing minor C-Class flares and it is likely now a threat for a moderate M-Flare. Something to keep an eye on this weekend. Image by SDO/HMI.Growing Flare Threat
January 31, 2026 @ 14:50 UTC
AR 4366 continued to expand over the past 12 hours in both size and magnetic complexity. The region has a Beta-Delta magnetic configuration and is producing frequent mid level minor C-Flares. A moderate M-Flare will remain possible on Saturday.M6.6 Solar Flare
February 1, 2026 @ 10:40 UTC
Solar activity increases even further with an M6.6 solar flare peaking at 10:02 UTC (Feb 1). The source, AR 4366, is magnetically complex and is now a threat for an isolated X-Flare. Image below by SDO/AIA.High Solar Activity
February 1, 2026 @ 16:50 UTC (UPDATED)
What a difference a few days make on the Sun. Active sunspot region 4366 turned into a firecracker on Sunday with at least fifteen M-Class solar flares and one X-Flare (so far). Despite the brightness of these events, the mechanics have so far failed to launch any noteworthy coronal mass ejections into space and towards our planet. That could change over the next few days as the region continues to develop and currently sports a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. More solar flares including another X-Flare will remain possible.[And today...]
Impulsive X8.1 Solar Flare
February 2, 2026 @ 00:10 UTC
An impulsive X8.1 solar flare was just detected peaking at 23:57 UTC (Feb 1). This is the second strongest flare in terms of peak X-Ray flux of the current solar cycle. Although a bright flare, new imagery suggests that if a CME is associated, it will likely be fairly mild. Stay tuned to SolarHam where you will get the most up to date and accurate information regarding this space weather event."#SolarFlares #SolarCycle25 #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #XClassFlares
-
From #SolarHam - Progression of new #Sunspot #AR4366 (not yet Earth-facing, but will be soon):
"Sunspot Watch
January 31, 2026 @ 04:15 UTC
Newly assigned sunspot region 4366 continues to gradually develop as it turns into view in the northeast quadrant. It is currently producing minor C-Class flares and it is likely now a threat for a moderate M-Flare. Something to keep an eye on this weekend. Image by SDO/HMI.Growing Flare Threat
January 31, 2026 @ 14:50 UTC
AR 4366 continued to expand over the past 12 hours in both size and magnetic complexity. The region has a Beta-Delta magnetic configuration and is producing frequent mid level minor C-Flares. A moderate M-Flare will remain possible on Saturday.M6.6 Solar Flare
February 1, 2026 @ 10:40 UTC
Solar activity increases even further with an M6.6 solar flare peaking at 10:02 UTC (Feb 1). The source, AR 4366, is magnetically complex and is now a threat for an isolated X-Flare. Image below by SDO/AIA.High Solar Activity
February 1, 2026 @ 16:50 UTC (UPDATED)
What a difference a few days make on the Sun. Active sunspot region 4366 turned into a firecracker on Sunday with at least fifteen M-Class solar flares and one X-Flare (so far). Despite the brightness of these events, the mechanics have so far failed to launch any noteworthy coronal mass ejections into space and towards our planet. That could change over the next few days as the region continues to develop and currently sports a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. More solar flares including another X-Flare will remain possible.[And today...]
Impulsive X8.1 Solar Flare
February 2, 2026 @ 00:10 UTC
An impulsive X8.1 solar flare was just detected peaking at 23:57 UTC (Feb 1). This is the second strongest flare in terms of peak X-Ray flux of the current solar cycle. Although a bright flare, new imagery suggests that if a CME is associated, it will likely be fairly mild. Stay tuned to SolarHam where you will get the most up to date and accurate information regarding this space weather event."#SolarFlares #SolarCycle25 #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #XClassFlares
-
From #SolarHam - Progression of new #Sunspot #AR4366 (not yet Earth-facing, but will be soon):
"Sunspot Watch
January 31, 2026 @ 04:15 UTC
Newly assigned sunspot region 4366 continues to gradually develop as it turns into view in the northeast quadrant. It is currently producing minor C-Class flares and it is likely now a threat for a moderate M-Flare. Something to keep an eye on this weekend. Image by SDO/HMI.Growing Flare Threat
January 31, 2026 @ 14:50 UTC
AR 4366 continued to expand over the past 12 hours in both size and magnetic complexity. The region has a Beta-Delta magnetic configuration and is producing frequent mid level minor C-Flares. A moderate M-Flare will remain possible on Saturday.M6.6 Solar Flare
February 1, 2026 @ 10:40 UTC
Solar activity increases even further with an M6.6 solar flare peaking at 10:02 UTC (Feb 1). The source, AR 4366, is magnetically complex and is now a threat for an isolated X-Flare. Image below by SDO/AIA.High Solar Activity
February 1, 2026 @ 16:50 UTC (UPDATED)
What a difference a few days make on the Sun. Active sunspot region 4366 turned into a firecracker on Sunday with at least fifteen M-Class solar flares and one X-Flare (so far). Despite the brightness of these events, the mechanics have so far failed to launch any noteworthy coronal mass ejections into space and towards our planet. That could change over the next few days as the region continues to develop and currently sports a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. More solar flares including another X-Flare will remain possible.[And today...]
Impulsive X8.1 Solar Flare
February 2, 2026 @ 00:10 UTC
An impulsive X8.1 solar flare was just detected peaking at 23:57 UTC (Feb 1). This is the second strongest flare in terms of peak X-Ray flux of the current solar cycle. Although a bright flare, new imagery suggests that if a CME is associated, it will likely be fairly mild. Stay tuned to SolarHam where you will get the most up to date and accurate information regarding this space weather event."#SolarFlares #SolarCycle25 #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #XClassFlares
-
From #SolarHam - Progression of new #Sunspot #AR4366 (not yet Earth-facing, but will be soon):
"Sunspot Watch
January 31, 2026 @ 04:15 UTC
Newly assigned sunspot region 4366 continues to gradually develop as it turns into view in the northeast quadrant. It is currently producing minor C-Class flares and it is likely now a threat for a moderate M-Flare. Something to keep an eye on this weekend. Image by SDO/HMI.Growing Flare Threat
January 31, 2026 @ 14:50 UTC
AR 4366 continued to expand over the past 12 hours in both size and magnetic complexity. The region has a Beta-Delta magnetic configuration and is producing frequent mid level minor C-Flares. A moderate M-Flare will remain possible on Saturday.M6.6 Solar Flare
February 1, 2026 @ 10:40 UTC
Solar activity increases even further with an M6.6 solar flare peaking at 10:02 UTC (Feb 1). The source, AR 4366, is magnetically complex and is now a threat for an isolated X-Flare. Image below by SDO/AIA.High Solar Activity
February 1, 2026 @ 16:50 UTC (UPDATED)
What a difference a few days make on the Sun. Active sunspot region 4366 turned into a firecracker on Sunday with at least fifteen M-Class solar flares and one X-Flare (so far). Despite the brightness of these events, the mechanics have so far failed to launch any noteworthy coronal mass ejections into space and towards our planet. That could change over the next few days as the region continues to develop and currently sports a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. More solar flares including another X-Flare will remain possible.[And today...]
Impulsive X8.1 Solar Flare
February 2, 2026 @ 00:10 UTC
An impulsive X8.1 solar flare was just detected peaking at 23:57 UTC (Feb 1). This is the second strongest flare in terms of peak X-Ray flux of the current solar cycle. Although a bright flare, new imagery suggests that if a CME is associated, it will likely be fairly mild. Stay tuned to SolarHam where you will get the most up to date and accurate information regarding this space weather event."#SolarFlares #SolarCycle25 #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #XClassFlares
-
From #SolarHam - Progression of new #Sunspot #AR4366 (not yet Earth-facing, but will be soon):
"Sunspot Watch
January 31, 2026 @ 04:15 UTC
Newly assigned sunspot region 4366 continues to gradually develop as it turns into view in the northeast quadrant. It is currently producing minor C-Class flares and it is likely now a threat for a moderate M-Flare. Something to keep an eye on this weekend. Image by SDO/HMI.Growing Flare Threat
January 31, 2026 @ 14:50 UTC
AR 4366 continued to expand over the past 12 hours in both size and magnetic complexity. The region has a Beta-Delta magnetic configuration and is producing frequent mid level minor C-Flares. A moderate M-Flare will remain possible on Saturday.M6.6 Solar Flare
February 1, 2026 @ 10:40 UTC
Solar activity increases even further with an M6.6 solar flare peaking at 10:02 UTC (Feb 1). The source, AR 4366, is magnetically complex and is now a threat for an isolated X-Flare. Image below by SDO/AIA.High Solar Activity
February 1, 2026 @ 16:50 UTC (UPDATED)
What a difference a few days make on the Sun. Active sunspot region 4366 turned into a firecracker on Sunday with at least fifteen M-Class solar flares and one X-Flare (so far). Despite the brightness of these events, the mechanics have so far failed to launch any noteworthy coronal mass ejections into space and towards our planet. That could change over the next few days as the region continues to develop and currently sports a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. More solar flares including another X-Flare will remain possible.[And today...]
Impulsive X8.1 Solar Flare
February 2, 2026 @ 00:10 UTC
An impulsive X8.1 solar flare was just detected peaking at 23:57 UTC (Feb 1). This is the second strongest flare in terms of peak X-Ray flux of the current solar cycle. Although a bright flare, new imagery suggests that if a CME is associated, it will likely be fairly mild. Stay tuned to SolarHam where you will get the most up to date and accurate information regarding this space weather event."#SolarFlares #SolarCycle25 #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome #XClassFlares
-
It's like #ElonMusk wants there to be a #KesslerEffect! Hard to launch a space program if we can't leave Earth!
#SpaceX seeks go-ahead from the #FCC to put up to a million #DataCenter satellites in orbit
by Alan Boyle on Jan 31, 2026
Excerpt: "SpaceX founder Elon Musk wasn’t kidding about his plans to go big with orbital data centers: The company is asking the Federal Communications Commission to approve a plan to put up to a million satellites in orbit to process data for artificial intelligence applications.
" 'Launching a constellation of a million satellites that operate as orbital data centers is a first step towards becoming a #Kardashev II-level civilization — one that can harness the sun’s full power — while supporting #AI-driven applications for billions of people today and ensuring humanity’s #multiplanetary future amongst the stars,' SpaceX said in an application filed with the FCC on Friday."
Read more:
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/spacex-fcc-million-data-center-satellites/#AISatellites #SkyNet #DarkSkies #Starlink #LowEarthOrbit #LEO #KesslerSyndrome #SolarFlares #Grounded
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@solarflarealert Isn't that the 2nd X-class flare today? Ruh roh is right!
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Also, #BreakingNews... #XFlare / Earth Directed Halo #CME
January 18, 2026 @ 18:25 UTC (UPDATED)
"A strong X1.9 solar flare was observed around AR 4341 on Sunday (Jan 18) at 18:08 UTC and was associated with a Type II radio emission (693 km/s), along with a 10cm Radio Burst (TenFlare) lasting 122 minutes and measuring 3200 solar flux units (SFU). A noteworthy coronal mass ejection (CME) is associated and contains a full halo signature. It appears that the main bulk of plasma is headed just to the east, however with the halo present, an Earth directed component is almost for certain with an impact likely within 24-48 hours. I would expect a geomagnetic storm watch of at least the strong (G3) threshold to be issued once a tracking model is issued by NOAA/SWPC. More to come.
UPDATE: Proton levels streaming past Earth are creeping higher and a minor (S1) radiation storm watch is now in effect. Furthermore, an updated CME tracking model by NASA is showing a passage past Earth by 06:00 UTC on January 20th. Click HERE to watch."
Source:
https://solarham.com/#Starlink #KesslerSyndrome #KesslerEffect #TooManySatellites #SolarFlare
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#SpaceX gets #FCC approval to launch 7,500 more #Starlink #satellites😱
by Anthony Ha
Sat, January 10, 2026Excerpt: "The Federal Communications Commission announced Friday that it has given SpaceX approval to launch another 7,500 of its second-generation Starlink satellites, for a total of 15,000 satellites worldwide.
"Beyond simply allowing SpaceX to launch more satellites and expand its high-speed internet coverage, the FCC says its decision also means Starlink satellites can operate across five frequencies to provide direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States, along with supplemental coverage in the U.S.
"Reuters reports that SpaceX had requested approval for an additional 15,000 satellites, but the FCC said it would 'defer authorization of the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 Starlink satellites.'
"SpaceX must launch 50% of the approved Starlink satellites by December 1, 2028, and the remaining 50% by December 2031, the FCC says."
Read more:
https://tech.yahoo.com/science/articles/spacex-gets-fcc-approval-launch-221121996.html#KesslerSyndrome #SpaceDebris #KesslerEffect #LEO
#DarkSkies #Satellites #SpaceTrash #Landlines #SpacePollution -
This will guarantee #KesslerSyndrome sooner than later!😱
As #SpaceX Works Toward 50K #Starlink Satellites, #China Eyes Deploying 200K
China's Institute of Radio Spectrum Utilization and Technological Innovation submits filings for two constellations, each of which could support 96,714 satellites, for a total of 193,428.
Michael Kan, January 12, 2026
Excerpt: "To counter China, the FCC has been expediting and streamlining its satellite approvals. This includes clearing SpaceX to operate another 7,500 satellites for its second-generation constellation. The regulator has also approved plans to operate Starlink satellites at lower orbits, from 340km to 485km. Currently, Starlink has over 9,400 orbiting satellites."
#SpaceDebris #KesslerEffect #LEO
#DarkSkies #Satellites #SpaceTrash #Landlines #SpacePollution -
Oh great, more companies competing to hasten #KesslerSyndrome !
#Starlink-rival Eutelsat signs deal with Europe's #MaiaSpace to launch satellites
By Gianluca Lo Nostro
Fri, January 16, 2026 at 7:11 AM EST"#Eutelsat, which acquired OneWeb in 2023, plans to launch 440 Airbus-built #LEO #satellites in the coming years to replenish and expand its constellation."
Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/starlink-rival-eutelsat-signs-deal-121115488.html#LEO #LowEarthOrbit #SpaceJunk #Satellites #KesslerEffect #DarkSkies #SpaceTrash
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Well, I think this is a hyperbole -- there will still be coax (axe/coax?) and fiber and good ol' landlines. Of course, #ElonMusk is trying to cut subsidies to those projects to divert money to #Starlink access!
#KesslerSyndrome: Space debris may create a future with no internet, TV, or mobile phone
By Quamrul Haider, 19 January 2025
Excerpt: "If, indeed, satellites collide or go offline because of overcrowded LEO, critical services like internet, navigation (GPS), weather forecasts, cell phones, television and other space-based technologies could fail. Needless to say, this will cause widespread disruption to modern life. Imagine life without social media!"
#KesslerEffect #Starlink #LEO #DarkSkies #Satellites #SpaceTrash #Landlines #SpacePollution
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I guess that would put a wrench into #BAU (#BusinessAsUsual), eh?
How Dangerous Would a #KesslerSyndrome Be for Satellites?
By Matthias Binder, M.Sc., July 28, 2025
"The sheer number of satellites orbiting Earth today is truly staggering. According to the European Space Agency, there are over 10,000 active and inactive satellites circling our planet, a number that has more than doubled in the past five years. The launch of mega-constellations, like #SpaceX’s Starlink, has poured thousands of new objects into #LowEarthOrbit (#LEO), making it a busy and hazardous neighborhood. This crowding means that even a single collision could set off a disastrous chain reaction. The buildup of #SpaceJunk is not just a minor inconvenience—it’s a ticking time bomb. As one NASA engineer put it recently, 'We’re reaching a point of no return if we don’t act soon.' The risk is not hypothetical; it’s a growing, daily concern for satellite operators worldwide.
Understanding the Kessler Syndrome Phenomenon
"Kessler Syndrome is a chilling scenario where space debris collides, creating more debris in a runaway cascade. First described by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, this theoretical chain reaction would make certain orbits so littered with debris that satellites could no longer operate safely. In recent interviews, space experts warn that every new collision increases the risk of triggering such a syndrome. The latest studies from 2024 highlight that the density of objects in popular orbits is fast approaching critical thresholds. 'It’s like a cosmic traffic jam,' one astrophysicist said, 'except every fender bender makes the road even more dangerous.' This phenomenon isn’t just science fiction—it’s a looming threat that could upend modern life.
What Happens During a Debris Cascade?
"When two objects collide in orbit, the result is a spray of thousands of new fragments. Each of these fragments can travel at speeds greater than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Even something as small as a paint fleck has the potential to puncture or destroy a satellite at these velocities. The U.S. Space Surveillance Network is currently tracking more than 36,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimeters, but the real number of smaller, untrackable fragments is believed to be in the millions. The more debris there is, the higher the chance that satellites will be hit, creating even more debris. This is the catastrophic feedback loop that defines Kessler Syndrome, and the consequences are almost impossible to contain once it begins.
"Satellites form the backbone of today’s global communications, navigation, and weather monitoring. A significant increase in debris would put all of these services at risk. The International Space Station has had to maneuver multiple times in the past year to avoid potential collisions with debris, and commercial satellites have reported dozens of close calls. A sudden #DebrisCascade could render some orbits completely unusable, especially in low Earth orbit, where most satellites operate. Operators would face higher insurance premiums, more frequent maneuvers, and the very real possibility of losing multi-million-dollar hardware. The threat is so severe that, according to the Secure World Foundation, some satellite companies are already reconsidering future launches into crowded orbits.
"The satellite industry is a powerhouse, with a market value exceeding $400 billion. If Kessler Syndrome were triggered, the immediate cost of lost satellites could run into the tens of billions. But the real financial blow would come from the collapse of satellite-dependent industries. Think about GPS navigation, financial transactions, television, and disaster forecasting—all could be crippled. Insurance companies are already hiking premiums for satellites operating in high-risk orbits. A major debris event could cause a ripple effect, leading to job losses and economic instability in sectors that rely on reliable satellite data. As one economist recently said, 'A single catastrophic event in space could shatter global markets overnight.' "
Read more:
https://climatecosmos.com/climate-news/how-dangerous-would-a-kessler-syndrome-be-for-satellites/#KesslerEffect #GrindingHalt #GPS #Satellites #LandLines #Fiber
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So, I was talking with my supervisor about how #Starlink is trying to divert money intended for #FiberOptic, and told her about the #KesslerEffect (which will probably be caused by old Starlink satellites).
"I guess that will knock us back to landlines," was her reply.
"All the more reason to have fiber in place!" I chimed in! -
Keep creating #SpaceJunk, #Elon! Maybe it's time to send up the #SpaceJanitors, eh?
The #KesslerSyndrome: Crisis in Space Intensifies as Thousands of Satellites Crowd Earth Orbit
by Micah Hanks, May 8, 2025
Excerpt: "Welcome to this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief… as #SpaceX’s Starlink constellation continues to raise the number of operational satellites in orbit, scientists are raising alarms about the growing threat of #SpaceDebris. In our analysis this week, we’ll be looking at 1) the potential onset of the Kessler Syndrome, 2) how a cascading chain reaction of orbital collisions could jeopardize #satellites, #SpaceStations, and critical infrastructure in space, and 3) what space agencies like NASA and the ESA are doing to mitigate risks through debris removal missions and stricter deorbiting guidelines, amid concerns over whether current efforts will be enough to prevent orbital chaos."
#Satellites #SpacePollution #KesslerEffect #Starlink #DeadSatellites #DarkSkies
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Remember folks... If #KesslerSyndrome / #KesslerEffect happens, satellite-based communications will be toast! Make sure you have other ways to communicate (two-way radios, Ham radios, bike messengers, runner relay route stops, etc.).
#EmergencyPreparedness #EmergencyCommunications #MutualAid #WereOnOurOwn
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Musk's #satellites 'blocking' view of the #universe
by Georgina Rannard
September 18, 2024"#RadioWaves from #ElonMusk’s growing network of satellites are blocking scientists’ ability to peer into the universe, according to researchers in the Netherlands.
"The new generation of Starlink satellites, which provide fast internet around the world, are interfering more with #RadioTelescopes than earlier versions, they say.
"The thousands of orbiting satellites are 'blinding' radio telescopes and may be hindering astronomical research, according to Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (#ASTRON).
"#SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has not replied to a request from BBC News for comment.
"The satellites provide broadband internet around the world, often to remote places, including challenging environments like Ukraine and Yemen.
"They are also used to connect remote areas of the UK to fast internet. In 2022 tests showed that Starlink could deliver internet speeds four times faster than the average, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
"But astronomers say this comes at a cost.
"'Every time more of these are launched with these kinds of emission levels, we see less and less of the sky,' Professor Jessica Dempsey, director of ASTRON, told BBC News."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4dnr8zemgo
#DarkSkies #SpacePollution #SpaceJunk #SignalToNoise #TurnOffTheNoise #TooManySatellites #KesslerEffect #KesslerSyndrome
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YIKES! You think #ATTOutage is bad? Wait'll #CarringtonEvent hits! Followed by #KesslerEffect, 'cuz satellites damaged by #SolarFlares will collide!
via #SolarHam
Flare Events (M2+) Past 48 Hours | Event Report | Top Solar Flares
X1.9
3590
X1.7
3590
M4.8
3590
X6.3
3590Current Solar Flare Threat
C-Flare: 99%
M-Flare: 55%
X-Flare: 20%
Proton: 10%Source:
https://www.solarham.net/ -
Between #KesslerEffect and #WindShear, we'll be grounded sooner than later...
Severe #Turbulence Will Increase Up To Three Times In The Next Decades
by Linnea Ahlgren, July 1, 2022
The wind shear of the jet streams will continue to increase as temperatures rise.
#ClimateChange #Transportation
https://simpleflying.com/severe-turbulence-increase-three-times-next-decades/