Dozens of Starlink Satellites Hit By Geostorm, Expected to Fall Toward Earth

The satellites were launched last week and most are expected to burn up on re-entry.

Jeremy Kariuki

Wednesday, February 09, 2022 at 01:52 PM ET

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The satellites affected are not expected to reach the Earth's surface. [Illustration Courtesy: NASA

Key Takeaways:

Up to 40 recently launched SpaceX Starlink satellites were significantly impacted by a geomagnetic storm, leading to increased atmospheric drag.
The elevated drag caused the satellites to lose orbital speed, initiating their descent back into Earth's atmosphere.
These satellites are expected to completely burn up upon re-entry, posing no risk of collision with other spacecraft or debris reaching the ground.
SpaceX intentionally deploys satellites into low orbits as a contingency, ensuring that any affected or faulty satellites quickly deorbit and are safely disposed of to maintain a sustainable space environment.

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Late Tuesday night, Elon Musk’s SpaceX reported that up to 40 of its Starlink satellites, launched last week, were hit by a geomagnetic storm and are expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.

SpaceX launched 49 Starlink satellites on February 3, using a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The satellites reached their targeted orbit and achieved controlled flight.