US EditionSpaceX Begins “Significant Reconfiguration” of Starlink Satellite Constellation
SpaceX will lower about 4,400 satellites from 550 km to 480 km altitude to cut collision risk and speed deorbiting by 80%, enhancing space safety in 2026.
- January 1, 2026 Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX, announced lowering roughly 4,400 Starlink satellites from 341 miles to 298 miles during 2026.
- Overcrowding in low Earth orbit pressured action, with more than 9,000 of Earth's 14,300 active satellites being Starlinks; declining solar activity reduces atmospheric density and drag, complicating orbital planning.
- By flying lower, the affected satellites should cut natural deorbit time by 80%, shortening stays from more than four years to a few months, with fewer debris objects below 500 kilometers and choreographed orbital lanes reducing collision risk.
- SpaceX must coordinate with other operators, regulators, and U.S. Space Command to perform precise coordinated maneuvers, enabling defunct satellites to naturally reenter within months.
- With the solar minimum expected around 2030, experts warn congestion could trigger Kessler-like chain reactions as SpaceX hopes to grow to 42,000 Starlinks.
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Live coverage: SpaceX to launch first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands in the launch position at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ahead of the launch of the Starlink 6-88 mission. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now SpaceX is preparing to launch its first Starlink mission since one of its satellites in orbit was knocked out of action in an incident on Dec. 17. Liftoff of the Starlink 6-88 mission is scheduled for 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC) from Space Launch Co…
SpaceX will cover thousands of satellites from Starlink constellation in 2026, on the basis of an increase of 200% of the ways to avoid collisions and risks generated by the worsening Earth's joise orbit. The company announced that about 4,400 satellites will be placed from 550 km to 480 km. The decision comes after a rare incident, produced in December.
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Starlink to lower satellites' orbit
Starlink will lower all of its satellites orbiting at about 340 miles to about 300 miles over the course this year, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX's vice president of Starlink engineering, said Thursday.
4,400 Starlink Satellites to Move to Lower Orbit
SpaceX will move about 4,400 Starlink satellites to a lower orbit this year to better control risks and improve safety, the company announced Friday. Michael Nicholls, vice president of Starlink engineering, posted the news on X, saying the adjustment would increase space safety in several ways. Elon Musk’s Starlink system contributes more than 9,000 satellites to an increasingly crowded Earth orbit. Of those in the Starlink system, only two are…
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