When you look at the night sky, the shimmering trail of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites might look like a sign of progress. But beneath that glow, a double-edged sword is hanging over our planet.
On the one hand, we face a collision crisis in space. On the other, we are literally breathing in the remains of dead satellites.
For a long time, the world thought that burning up old space junk in the atmosphere was a clean way to get rid of it. Science suggests we were wrong.
As tech giants like SpaceX prepare to launch even more massive structures, Isro is racing to keep India’s interests safe, and to prevent the Kessler Syndrome.
The scale of this expansion is set to explode, with SpaceX recently announcing a massive surge in its second-generation Starlink Mobile satellites.
Starting in mid 2027, each Starship launch will carry 50 of these V2 satellites, aiming to deploy 1,200 units within just six months for global 5G coverage from space.
These satellites boast 100 times the data density of previous versions, turning the sky into a high-speed digital grid.
WHAT IS KESSLER SYNDROME?
Imagine a single car crash on a busy highway that causes every other car to pile up for miles. In space, this is called Kessler Syndrome. It is a domino effect where one collision between two satellites creates thousands of pieces of shrapnel. Each piece moves at 28,000 kilometres per hour, which is faster than a bullet.
These fragments then hit other satellites, creating even more debris. Eventually, the space around Earth becomes a permanent graveyard of junk. This would destroy the invisible infrastructure we use every day, such as UPI payments, weather alerts for farmers, and NavIC, which is the Indian version of GPS.
HOW DOES ISRO’S PROJECT NETRA WORK?
To stop this chain reaction, Isro created Project Netra, which stands for Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis. Based in Bengaluru, this is India’s first independent shield against orbital accidents.
It works like a high-tech security system for our satellites. The system functions as a multi-layered surveillance net that combines ground-based sensors with advanced computational power.
First, it utilises a sophisticated network of optical telescopes and high-power radars, such as the Multi-Object Tracking Radar at Sriharikota, to monitor the low-Earth orbit environment. These sensors are capable of detecting and cataloguing objects as small as 10 centimetres from thousands of kilometres away.
Once the data is collected, it is processed in Bengaluru. There, indigenous algorithms and artificial intelligence simulate the future paths of these objects.
In early 2026, Isro is processing over 50,000 alerts every year about objects getting too close to our satellites. If the AI detects a high probability of a collision, known as a conjunction, Netra triggers a red alert.
This allows Isro engineers to execute a Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre by firing the satellite thrusters to move it into a safe zone. By maintaining this constant vigil, Netra ensures India does not have to rely on foreign agencies to protect its critical space assets.
HOW DOES SPACEX POLLUTE THE AIR?
We used to think satellites just vanished when they fell back to Earth. However, a study published on February 19, 2026, in the journal Communications Earth & Environment proves otherwise.
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute found a tenfold spike in lithium 96 kilometres above Earth. This was directly linked to a SpaceX Falcon 9 re-entry.
SpaceX satellites use aluminum-lithium alloys. When they burn up, they release 30 kilograms of lithium per rocket. In nature, the world only gets 80 grams of lithium a day from falling meteors.
These metallic clouds stay in the sky for decades. They can erode the ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun’s harmful rays.
WHY ARE ORBITAL AI DATA CENTRES A RISK TO THE ATMOSPHERE?
The problem is about to get much bigger. SpaceX has recently filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch one million new satellites. These are not just for the internet; they are orbital AI data centres. Elon Musk wants to move power-hungry AI processing into space to save electricity on Earth.
If one rocket caused a massive lithium spike, a million satellites falling back to Earth over time could create an atmospheric crisis. As these massive satellites de-orbit, they turn the sky into a crematorium for heavy metals.
Isro’s Netra is now more important than ever. It does not just track junk; it helps India hold global companies accountable for the mess they leave behind.
