Space X plans to lower Starlink satellites' orbital altitude

"Space X plans to lower the orbit of all Starlink satellites in 2026, Reuters reports. According to the private space company's chief technology officer Michael Nicolls, the orbit of the satellites will be lowered from about 550 to 480 kilometers. The aim is to increase safety in space. Lower orbits mean satellites fall back to Earth faster if something goes wrong, reducing the risk of collisions and space debris."

"According to the private space company's chief technology officer Michael Nicolls, the orbit of the satellites will be lowered from about 550 to 480 kilometers. The aim is to increase safety in space. Lower orbits mean satellites fall back to Earth faster if something goes wrong, reducing the risk of collisions and space debris. The decision comes after a Starlink satellite suffered a failure in December that caused a minor explosion and created debris at an altitude of about 418 kilometers."

SpaceX will lower Starlink satellites' orbital altitude from about 550 kilometers to about 480 kilometers in 2026. The lower altitude will cause satellites to decay and re-enter the atmosphere faster if failures occur. Faster re-entry reduces the lifetime of debris and lowers collision risk with other spacecraft. The decision follows a December satellite failure that produced a minor explosion and debris near 418 kilometers altitude. Applying the lower orbit across the constellation aims to increase safety in space and reduce long-lived orbital debris and collision probability.

Read at Computerworld