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| Starlink loses 40 satellites after a geomagnetic storm |
SpaceX's Starlink internet service has been so successful that the company now estimates that 40 of the 49 satellites launched on February 3 could be destroyed by a geomagnetic storm.
The company said 80% of the satellites launched last week will burn up rather than go into orbit.
SpaceX launched the satellite into low Earth orbit on February 3 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But 80% of it is now expected to burn up rather than reach its expected orbit.
Satellites are severely affected by geomagnetic storms. These storms warm the atmosphere and thicken the atmosphere at lower scattering altitudes, SpaceX said in a statement.
He said the storm's speed and intensity resulted in 50 percent more clouds than previous launches.
Geomagnetic storms occur from the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field. Although satellites ordered to avoid the storm. But he failed to perform the maneuvers necessary to achieve the desired orbit.
The company said that up to 40 satellites could re-enter Earth's atmosphere. These satellites do not pose any danger of collision with other satellites.
The company said the Starlink satellites are designed to degrade when they reenter Earth's atmosphere. This means that no orbital debris has formed and no part of the satellite has touched the Earth.
Starlink was hit hard
SpaceX has launched 2,000 Starlink satellites and has permission from the US authorities to broadcast up to 12,000 in total.
The network has attracted increasing interest from astronomers, who fear that the mass of thousands of satellites will darken the night sky and prevent scientists from studying the distant universe.
“Elon Musk sets the rules for space,” the ESA chief said in December. The European Union called for coordinated action to ensure that SpaceX's satellite internet constellation does not prevent other countries from launching their own satellites.
That same month, China accused the United States of ignoring international treaty obligations after two close encounters forced the Chinese space station to maneuver to avoid a collision with a Starlink satellite.