[tmarthal]

> collision probability of 1.3 percent, with the two satellites coming as close as 190 feet (50m)

LEO orbits have speeds around 7.8 km/s (rounding up to ~8000m/s for quick calculations) - this avoidance detection is saying that the two satellites both traveling at 8000m/s would be in the same 50m box at the same second.

A quick calculation shows that the collision avoidance is operating at least the millisecond level to predict this collision (50m/(8000m/s) ~.005 seconds.

One thing someone once mentioned to me is that space is big and things travel fast. It's hard to believe that the two satellites (most likely each <1m in diameter) came "close" to colliding, when a half second later they would be 8000 meters apart.

[mhh__]

Starlink satellites are a bit bigger than that from what I can gather on google at least.

> came "close" to colliding, when a half second later they would be 8000 meters apart.

So is a bullet if it goes through you. Space is big but the orbits these satellites operate in aren't as big as space itself.

Why does it matter if it's hard to believe anyway, they gave a figure of 1.3%, which is pretty low anyway, and they didn't do it on the back of a napkin.

[satyanash]

> they gave a figure of 1.3%, which is pretty low anyway,

1.3% chance of collision is _not_ low at all!

Especially when you start considering the chaotic cascading effects that a collision can result in!