SpaceX moves thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit after near miss with Chinese rival

"Nicholls wrote in a post on X that the move would reduce the amount of time it takes for defunct satellites to burn up in Earth's atmosphere and reduce the "likelihood of collision" with other satellites and space debris. SpaceX founder Musk weighed in on the move, writing on X that it would also allow Starlink, which uses a constellation of around 9,000 satellites to provide wireless internet in over 150 countries, to serve a "higher density" of customers."

"The buildup has sparked concerns about the risks of satellite collisions, which could add to the huge amount of debris in orbit. The European Space Agency estimates there are around 1.2 million bits of space debris between about 0.4 inches and 4 inches in orbit, all of which are circling the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour and have the potential to cause damage to satellites and crewed space launches."

SpaceX will move roughly 4,400 Starlink satellites to a lower orbit across 2026 to shorten the time defunct units take to burn up and to lower collision likelihood with other satellites and debris. The lower orbits are intended to allow a higher customer density for the Starlink constellation of about 9,000 satellites serving over 150 countries. Orbital congestion is increasing as large constellations expand, raising risks of collisions and debris generation. The European Space Agency estimates roughly 1.2 million pieces of debris between 0.4 and 4 inches in orbit, traveling at about 17,000 miles per hour. SpaceX reported a December near miss involving nine Chinese satellites within 650 feet.

Read at Business Insider