Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are falling to Earth at an alarming rate
Warning issued as Starlink satellites crash to Earth daily
- Up to four Starlink satellites from Elon Musk's constellation are deorbiting and falling to Earth each day.
- Astronomer Jonathan McDowell recorded an average of one to two Starlink satellites deorbiting daily in 2025, a figure expected to rise to around five per day.
- Starlink satellites are purposefully designed to burn up entirely in the Earth's atmosphere, posing no danger to people on the ground.
- Dr McDowell warned that other uncontrolled space hardware re-entering the atmosphere could pose a significant threat if pieces reach the ground.
- Scientists are investigating the potential environmental impact of these frequent deorbits, particularly concerning pollutants like aluminium-oxide particles contributing to atmospheric warming.