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Worldbuilding

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    $\begingroup$ This is what I would have answered as well. De-orbiting a vast barrage of satellites to knock out the network all at once. Sure humanity loses a ton of infrastructure we've spent decades building up there but it saves billions of lives. $\endgroup$ Commented May 7, 2019 at 18:50
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    $\begingroup$ You'd have to simultaneously wipe out 1024 satellites, with only 2 astronauts and whatever they can scrape together beyond the net of (presumably) geostationary nuclear platforms. Also many satellites will plumet to earth. I assume nuclear warheads are fairly safe before arming, but still seems dangerous to have crashed nuclear platforms lying around $\endgroup$ Commented May 7, 2019 at 20:18
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    $\begingroup$ @Skidsdev - never tell me the odds... $\endgroup$ Commented May 7, 2019 at 21:11
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    $\begingroup$ To add to this, the crew could just rotate the satellites 180° so that they face away from the planet. This way, even if the missiles are fired, they’d simply be fired away from Earth, saving the lives of its population. $\endgroup$ Commented May 7, 2019 at 22:01
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    $\begingroup$ @Skidsdev you don't have to take out every satellite, just most, a few nuclear detonations are tragedies but not world enders. worse the rebound will likely cause people to pollute more out of spite (yes humans are this stupid) $\endgroup$ Commented May 7, 2019 at 22:58