Orbital Debris Worries 'Overblown and Underblown,' Iridium CEO Says

Concerns about orbital debris are "both overblown and underblown," Iridium CEO Matt Desch said at a Satellite 2021-related event Thursday. A relatively modest amount of garbage is in orbit now, and Iridium's satellites don't frequently have to shift orbit to avoid proximity to something, he said. But, while a debris-related disaster is not likely in the next 10 years, if steps aren't taken now to address the problem, there "absolutely" will be a catastrophic event in 30 or 50 years, he said. He said global regulation is needed, but there's not the will yet to do so. There also isn't a business case for tackling the problem, he said: A variety of companies and nations are ignoring it because "incentives aren't lined up with what they're doing." Asked about the booming number of space ventures being announced and planned, Desch said most will be successful with their technology, but a bigger question is their business success.