The growing problem of satellites crowding one another is generating concern in the space community, for good reason. Almost 20,000 satellites orbit Earth now, and with more satellite constellations and other satellites being launched every year, Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) is starting to look like it's reaching its limit. Of particular concern are the 3,500+ plus satellites that are basically zombies. They are either completely non-functional or not sending any signals alerting other satellites to their presence.

A collision between two satellites could be catastrophic. Satellite constellations have some built-in redundancy which would help deal with the loss, but there's an additional risk. A collision could also create a debris cloud, multiplying the ongoing risk. The Kessler syndrome describes a cascade of collisions generated from debris created in a single, initial collision, that goes on to create even more collisions.…