--- title: "Space Startup CEO Warns That Orbit Is Filling Up With Space Startups" description: "The CEO of space startup Rocket Lab Peter Beck told CNN that space in Earth's orbit is becoming worryingly congested." date: "2020-10-08" modified: "2020-10-08" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-startup-ceo-orbit-filling-up-space-startups" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "Rocket Lab" - "space junk" - "SpaceX" - "starlink" - "the digest" --- # Space Startup CEO Warns That Orbit Is Filling Up With Space Startups ![The CEO of space startup Rocket Lab Peter Beck told CNN that space in Earth's orbit is becoming worryingly congested.]() *\Image: Rocket Lab\* ## Clutter Problem The CEO of space startup Rocket Lab Peter Beck [told *CNN*]() that space in Earth's orbit is becoming worryingly congested. With SpaceX planning to send tens of thousands of [Starlink broadband-beaming satellites]() into low-Earth orbit, he says, finding a good time to launch rockets is becoming increasingly difficult. "This has a massive impact on the launch side," Beck told *CNN*. Rockets "have to try and weave their way up in between these \[satellite\] constellations." ## Irony Alert The irony, of course, is that Rocket Lab is adding to the problem itself. So far, it has sent a total of 55 satellites to space. The worry is that larger pieces of space junk could explode into thousands of new pieces of debris if they ever hit each other at orbital velocities, a problem known as "Kessler Syndrome." Making matters worse, neither SpaceX nor Rocket Lab are sharing real-time location data for their rockets and satellites, according to *CNN,* making a collision more likely. ## Space Hoarding Beck, however, is more worried about the impact space junk is having on rocket launches. Bits of debris make navigating through space difficult. Space junk also makes orbit hazardous. Last month, the international space station [had to make a maneuver]() to get out of the way of a piece of space junk. "It's just a race to orbit, and there's just zero consideration for what environment we'll leave behind," Beck told *CNN*. "Anyone flying a launch vehicle now needs to be really cognizant of their responsibilities." **READ MORE:** [Space is becoming too crowded, Rocket Lab CEO warns]() \[*CNN*\] **More on Rocket Lab:** *[Life on Venus? This Rocket Company Is Already Planning a Mission to Have a Closer Look]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()