Russian ecologists call for sanctions against Starlink satellites!
The disintegration of Starlink satellites creates debris clouds that pollute space and increase the risk of losing access to low Earth orbit.
Published by TASS editorial office on March 31.
Aslan Bitokov, a Russian ecologist, told TASS that establishing and implementing legal liability mechanisms for such incidents would help reduce risks.
On March 29, Starlink reported an anomaly with one of its communication satellites, resulting in loss of contact at an altitude of 560 kilometers above Earth's surface.
This evening, members of LeoLabs' space program announced they had detected via radar that the satellite had disintegrated, forming a cloud of debris.
This marks the second such incident recently—another Starlink satellite disintegrated in mid-December 2025.
"If the international community fails to establish an effective legal framework for space pollution liability within the next two to three years, humanity faces the permanent loss of access to low Earth orbit," Bitokov said in commenting on the event.
The ecologist also pointed out, "Orbital chaos directly threatens the stability of ground infrastructure, the global economy, and national security."
This brings to mind last year’s incident when a Chinese spacecraft was hit by space debris.
The Starlink satellite that disintegrated is orbiting at an altitude of 560 kilometers.
Both the International Space Station and China's space station operate at altitudes around 400 kilometers.
From altitude alone, this may indeed pose some impact—but there's no need for immediate concern yet.
However, Starlink satellites have a lifespan of about five years, meaning they continuously re-enter the atmosphere and fall back.
Moreover, this sudden loss-of-connection and disintegration event is not the first time—its impact on other space vehicles cannot be ignored.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861218589187084/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) personally.