As it happens, there is new technology that might allow longer service life–from phys:

“Atom-thin electronics withstand space radiation, potentially surviving centuries in orbit”

This talks about Peng Zhou at Fudan, who has an article in Nature called:

“Radiation-tolerant atomic-layer-scale RF system for spaceborne communication.”

Downwards/Earthwards isn’t the only path.

There are shepherd moons in Saturns rings after all. Perhaps just having a few massive objects in an orbital plane is all that is needed to coax any stray cats in and out of position as needed.

I’d like to point out that Blue Origin has already launched a prototype Blue Ring to orbit. It remained attached to the upper stage of the New Glenn, but it did fly.

I admit, I’m actually keen to see Blue Ring fly, and . . . just maybe, that test flight suggests that this might even be a probability in the next 18-24 months.

Blue Origin is still moving too slowly, but they do seem to be picking up speed, and focusing more on developing core capabilities. More please.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-03154-8

Space.com has a story up, and I pick them merely because it’s less egregious than the other articles I have seen:

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/scientists-measure-air-pollution-from-reentering-spacex-rocket-in-real-time-its-never-been-done-before

I’m not in a position to really critique their methodology, but . . . it is not unreasonable to think that the actual value of what they claim to have learned is questionable enough; and yes, it is not hard to resist wondering about the motivations of the study.

I am afraid this is the sort of thing that reinforces the sense that Europeans are much better at looking for reasons to halt physical output economic activity than they are at actually undertaking it, and not just where spaceflight is concerned.

This is the second -phys article I have seen on how inclusions can make things weaker.

“Dual Role for Heterogeneity in Dynamic Fracture” will be in Physical Review Letters this fall…from Georgia Tech’s Itamar Kolvin

I’d like to point out that Blue Origin has already launched a prototype Blue Ring to orbit. It remained attached to the upper stage of the New Glenn, but it did fly.