Space Debris Could Trigger Kessler Syndrome Chain Reaction Destroying All Satellites

What was said

"If you destroy a satellite, let's say it breaks into 10 pieces each going orbital speed. Orbital speed is is 17,000 miles an hour. That's way faster than a rifle bullet. So little pieces of satellite can be far more devastating than a high-powered rifle bullet shot into another satellite. If any one of them hits another satellite, breaking it into 10 pieces, you go from one to 10 to 100 to a thousand. Within just a few orbits, 100% of the satellites can be taken out."

Tyson explains Kessler syndrome, the cascading collision scenario predicted in 1978 where destroyed satellites create debris that destroys more satellites exponentially. With 10,500 SpaceX satellites already in orbit and projections of 100,000 active satellites by 2040, he warns the threshold for this catastrophic chain reaction may be approaching, though he believes we haven't reached it yet.