Observers report that SpaceX increased the frequency of the arch from the STARLINK communication satellites. Every day around the world 3-4 satellites of this group burn out around the world. The phenomenon has acquired a noticeable scope from May 2024. Probably, SpaceX replaces the old satellites with new ones, but the company is in no hurry to explain why they decided to destroy up to 100 satellites monthly.
Image source: AI generation Kandinsky 3.1/3DNews
Partly against SpaceX can play a natural factor. In May 2024, a powerful outbreak in the sun was observed, which inflated the atmosphere of the Earth and destabilized thousands of satellites. The devices in low near -earth orbit were losing height and were forced to spend the resource for return. In addition, their electronic equipment could suffer from ionized radiation.
Earlier, SpaceX stated that the company’s policy is being built on the principle of leading faults. The stiff engineering monitoring of the state of satellites Starlink forces the satellite to get out of operation rather than to allow its uncontrolled behavior that can harm the group or other devices in space. This is an excessive measure, but it guarantees relative security for everyone.
«The frequency of the satellite arch was mostly low until May 2024, – explained to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, tracking satellites. -Then it increased to one or two per day, since SpaceX began their mass decline. The second wave of write-offs began in December, reaching a speed of three or four satellites per day. ” In confirmation of his words, the specialist presented the schedule of the STARLINK satellite arch to the Earth’s atmosphere. Appeals to SpaceX to receive comments remained unanswered.
Image Source: Jonathan McDowell
Starlink satellites are designed in such a way as to completely burn in the atmosphere. However, this is what the scientists are concerned about. During combustion, light suspensions are formed, which have remained in the air for decades. Aluminum oxide is considered especially dangerous, from which satellite houses are made. Its high concentrations have already forced researchers to look for an alternative in wood. In addition, the destruction of satellites in the atmosphere can negatively affect the condition of the ozone layer that protects all living things on Earth from ultraviolet radiation.
MacDowell also noted: “Of the 7821 running satellite Starlink (currently) 817 were taken out of operation, including those that have failed from the very beginning.” More than 500 satellites disabled belong to the first generation. Meanwhile, according to the scientist, there are currently about 6200 operating Starlink apparatuses on the workers’ orbit.
No uh-oh, it will almost completely burn up. They are retiring and incinerating about 4 or 5 Starlinks every day at the moment, spread across the world, sometimes you get one at night time in the US.
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In January 2025, SpaceX destroyed 87 STARLINK satellites. At the same time, the company produces 55 new devices weekly and is able to launch up to 200 satellites per month. Thus, even burning a hundred satellites monthly, the overall deployment rate of the group does not decrease.