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this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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All orbits require very minimal maintenance, the closer to earth, the more maintenance required . Far enough out, and its basically maintence free, except for avoiding other debris.
The problem with an explosive self destruct is that not all debris will go down into lower orbits, some with go higher and therefore take even longer to deorbit. Its also a lot easier to track one dead satellite instead of thousands of minute particles.
And ideal "self-destruct button" would actually be a thruster firing in the direction of travel, which would slow it down and drag it into the earth, or if facing the other way, boost it up to a "graveyard" orbit. Both these exist on many satellites already.
Wont you eventually leave orbit if you are too far away?
Depends. Do you mean around a conceptual single body in an infinite void, or are there other things out there?
The (circular) orbits in a gravitational well don't end, they just get slower and slower as you move outwards forever. But, in real life you'll be in a zone where other things have just as much pull after a while, and then anything could happen.
Yes, but I beleive that is quite a significant amount of energy to reach. Only a few spacecraft have left earths orbit. Fewer still have left the suns orbit.