There are more than 1 billion cars on earth. Cubesats are smaller than a car and can be distributed in an additional dimension (altitude). I think there is little risk of oversaturation currently.
Well, cars can park (and stay parked most of the time). Cars generally do not go offroad.
Also, cars do not go 8 km/s (30 Mm/h, 17k mph). That really compensates the actual satellite size. And a single debris can ruin your day at these speeds.
Cars spend most of their time at rest, don't travel at cosmic speeds, and when they collide, don't send tens of thousands of pieces of shrapnel flying around the world for months/decades.
Cars seem to have a lot in common actually: satellites are "at rest" most of the time, it just that this rest could be a hazard as some point; but a car parked badly, around a sharp turn or in the middle of the highway would be a hazard as well. Cars can collide too, they can leave debris, which can become dangerous themselves for other cars, or pollute the nature around from leaks, ...
The only reason I'd say cars are in a "better" situation is simply because we can clean up. We don't do it yet with satellites.
MayeulC|5 years ago
Also, cars do not go 8 km/s (30 Mm/h, 17k mph). That really compensates the actual satellite size. And a single debris can ruin your day at these speeds.
vkou|5 years ago
gregoriol|5 years ago
The only reason I'd say cars are in a "better" situation is simply because we can clean up. We don't do it yet with satellites.