Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field | Sierra Solter
www.theguardian.com
Our ozone is pennies thick – and soon we’ll put at least an Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash into the ionosphere every year

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/11636550

Opinion piece by Sierra Solter, “a plasma physicist, engineer, and inventor who studies the intersection of heliophysics and aerospace”. Relevant quote:

Upon investigating just how much dust in the form of satellite and rocket debris the space industry has dumped into the ionosphere during re-entry, I was alarmed to find that it is currently multiple Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash. I wouldn’t have even been able to calculate that at all without a scientist’s personally run website. Our ozone is mere pennies thick, and soon we will be putting at least an Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash a year directly into the ionosphere. And all of that will stay there, indefinitely.

How could we possibly think that burning trash in our atmosphere 24/7 is going to be fine?