Starlink plans to lower all satellites from 550 km to 480 km altitude throughout 2026 to boost orbital safety, SpaceX VP of Starlink engineering Michael Nicolls announced Thursday.
The move follows a December incident where a satellite at 418 km malfunctioned, generating minor debris and losing contact—likely from an onboard explosion that dropped it 4 km fast.
“Orbit compression enhances safety: fewer debris and satellites below 500 km mean lower collision risks,” Nicolls posted on X.
Earth orbit swells with mega-constellations for internet, comms, and imaging. SpaceX dominates as the top operator, running nearly 10,000 Starlink satellites for global broadband to consumers, governments, and businesses.
