CRASH Clock Warns: Satellites Could Collide in Under 3 Days, Threatening Earth Orbit

• A new study warns that Earth's crowded low Earth orbit (LEO) faces imminent collision risks, with satellites potentially colliding within days during a future emergency.
• The CRASH Clock (Collision Realisation And Significant Harm Clock) estimates the time until collision if operators lose control, currently standing at 2.8 days by late 2025, down from 128 days in 2018.
• The rapid growth of satellites, especially megaconstellations like SpaceX's Starlink, has led to a 485% rise in active satellites in LEO since 2018, increasing orbital stress.
• Worst-case scenarios, including technical failures, cyber attacks, or severe solar storms, could trigger widespread satellite failure and subsequent collisions.
• Scientists warn that continued satellite deployment without safeguards could accelerate risks, potentially leading to the Kessler Syndrome, making LEO unsafe indefinitely.

Why It Matters: Crowded low Earth orbit faces critical collision risk, with a new study indicating potential collisions within days.