The Sun is causing Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites to drop from space
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Solar storms are causing Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellites to plunge to Earth
- NASA scientists have found that eruptions from the sun are causing Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites to fall to Earth faster than expected due to increased atmospheric drag from geomagnetic storms.
- The study, conducted by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, revealed that SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is particularly susceptible to geomagnetic storms, which are increasing as the Sun reaches the peak of its 11-year activity cycle.
- Researchers noted that satellites orbiting below 300 kilometres are burning up approximately 10 days earlier than anticipated during geomagnetic storms, increasing the risk of satellite parts reaching the ground.
- In February 2022, most of the 49 Starlink satellites launched from a Falcon 9 rocket fell back to Earth over the Caribbean, with the event coinciding with a minor geomagnetic storm; and in August 2024, a piece of a Starlink satellite was found on a farm in Canada.
- There are currently over 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, and SpaceX plans to expand the constellation to 30,000, raising concerns about the increased likelihood of satellite debris not fully burning up in the atmosphere.