Could you be hit by a falling satellite?

This More or Less podcast episode investigates the claim that there will be 100,000 satellites in orbit by 2030, a figure originating from a European Space Agency film. Host Tim Harford interviews astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who clarifies that while the number of operational satellites has increased dramatically from a few hundred in the 1960s to over 11,000 currently, a more realistic projection is around 80,000. The discussion covers the increasing number of commercial satellites, the rising risk of collisions, the frequency of satellite re-entry into the atmosphere (currently around 2-3 per day), and the uncertainties surrounding the environmental and safety impacts of this increasing space debris. Further insight is provided by Fionagh Thomson from Durham University, who highlights the limited understanding of how satellites break up during atmospheric re-entry and the challenges in accurately assessing the risk to humans on the ground.