The 1,234 satellites orbiting Earth

According to the article the number 1234 relates to active satellites.

Could those satellites not be used to make either, one big satellite, spaceship, or for parts on the ISS? Something of that nature? Would be nice to start a business collecting or reusing those satellites...

a reply to: sublik

... well ... theoretically you could gather a big bunch of orbital debris and recycle them into something interesting, There is a problem, however.

You are at a suitable orbit, just at the right altitude above Earth. Now, let´s start hunting for those derelict satellites and other debris to recycle. Whoops, too late, that one whizzed past at 5 miles per second. There´s another one, at almost opposite orbit to you and it crashes into you at 10 miles per second.

Gathering the debris is not exactly simple, although as someone mentioned, several schemes are being floated. To be able to re-use all those lovely electronics and optics up there would be loverly, but rendez-vousing them in orbit is going to require massive amounts of fuel and maneouvrability. Or really good shock absorbers.

a reply to: Pirvonen

i wonder if you could simply put a satellite in orbit with some very nice magnets on some very nice string and just slowly collect the junk on your orbit around?

originally posted by: quercusrex
Kinda puts things in perspective and leaves me wondering how we could ever clean that mess up?

originally posted by: McChillin
What happens if those satellites happen to fall out of orbit???

If orbital mechanics stops working, you'll have a lot more to worry about than satellites.

For anyone interested in satellites, I highly recommend checking out some of the augmented reality satellite tracking apps that are out there. None of them have anywhere near 1,234 active satellites in their database, but it's still quite interesting to play around with. For the ones they do have, the apps will even show you what they're for and who they're owned by.

heavens-above.com is a great database of satellites and other objects (such as spent rocket stages) up there, including the times you can observe them flying over your location.

leolady