Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites fall en masse to Earth: what are the consequences

From one to four satellites fall to Earth every day from the Starlink orbital network created by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, The Independent reports.

According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the number of satellites leaving orbit could increase to five per day in 2025. This is happening against the background of the expansion of the Starlink network. Recently, videos of falling satellites have appeared on social networks, sparking public fear. Currently, there are about 20,000 objects in low Earth orbit, of which 12,000 are active satellites, and approximately 8,500 are Starlink satellites.

The service life of Starlink satellites is about five years. They are designed to burn up entirely in the atmosphere before reaching the Earth’s surface. While the sight of them falling may look alarming, they pose no threat to humans.

However, McDowell noted that other spacecraft that return from orbit without control may be more dangerous. According to him, large debris reaches the Earth several times a year, and humanity is just lucky that no serious consequences have occurred so far.

The scientist added that the mass loss of Starlink satellites can have side effects; in particular, during combustion, aluminum oxide particles can form, which can affect the atmosphere and contribute to its heating. “We don’t yet know what the consequences might be, but research is ongoing. If it turns out that the burning of satellites harms the atmosphere, we may have to reconsider our disposal strategies,” McDowell emphasized.