Digital Desk: SpaceX says it lost 40 of its 49 Starlink satellites to a geomagnetic storm that hit Earth last week. The announcement comes days after the launch of a new batch of 49 Starlink to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The satellites were launched on February 3 using a Falcon-9 rocket.
The geomagnetic storm was caused by a four-hour coronal mass ejection from the Sun caused by an M1-class solar flare, which pushed debris into space and towards inner planets, including Earth. As the flares reached Earth’s magnetic field, experts predicted a moderately powerful G2-class geomagnetic storm.
After a successful deployment from the Falcon-9 upper stage, the satellites were placed in an orbit around 210 kilometres above Earth, with each satellite achieving controlled flight. The Elon Musk-led firm places its satellites in these lower orbits so that if one fails to pass early system checkouts, it will be promptly deorbited due to atmospheric drag.
The geomagnetic storm on Friday wreaked havoc on the satellites that were launched on Thursday. According to SpaceX, the storm caused the atmosphere to warm and the density of the atmosphere at our low deployment altitudes to rise.
According to GPS data, as the storm’s speed and severity increased, atmospheric drag increased by up to 50% compared to earlier launches.
The Starlink crew put the satellites into a safe mode, where they flew edge-on (like a sheet of paper) to save drag and effectively “took cover from the storm,” according to SpaceX.
The team collaborated with the Space Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron and LeoLabs to give ground radar-based updates on the satellites.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the satellites were unable to leave safe mode due to increased drag at low altitudes.” SpaceX stated in a statement.
“Up to 40 satellites will reenter or already have reentered the Earth’s atmosphere and destroy as they did not come out of safe mode to begin orbit-raising procedures.” SpaceX added.
“The deorbiting satellites offer no risk of colliding with other satellites and, by design, disintegrate upon atmospheric reentry—meaning no orbital trash is formed and no satellite parts strike the ground,” SpaceX explained.
From Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Falcon-9 sent 49 Starlink satellites into orbit.
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