Starlink lost 40 out of 49 satellites it launched into the Earth’s upper atmosphere on Wednesday, as a geomagnetic storm kept the spacecraft from reaching a higher orbit. Analysts estimate the loss could cost SpaceX up to $20 million, reports Fortune, and is a setback for Elon Musk’s satellite broadband infrastructure plan.
SpaceX said late Tuesday the 49 satellites it launched February 3, were affected by a geomagnetic storm the next day. Such storms are triggered by solar activity. They can increase the density of the upper atmosphere, including at the initial low earth orbit SpaceX uses to check out Starlink satellites before raising them to their higher operational orbits, reports SpaceNews.
SpaceX says it intentionally uses the low orbit so that any spacecraft that fails initial tests after reaching orbit will quickly deorbit naturally. That safe mode, though, kept the satellites from raising their orbits using their onboard electric propulsion, and was also not enough to counteract the increased atmospheric drag. The company said the satellites posed no risk to other spacecraft in orbit and they’re designed to burn up on reentry.
SpaceX has already deployed 1,469 Starlink satellites into orbit and is targeting a total of 30,000. Together, they will form the infrastructure to back Musk’s plan of delivering high-speed internet to remote regions across the globe.
However, the company has received blowback from astronomers and governments concerned about the growing number of satellites Musk is positioning in space, notes Fortune. This week, NASA filed a letter with the FCC warning that Musk’s plan will increase the risk of Starlink satellites colliding with other space vehicles.
SpaceX previously said there is “zero risk” of a Starlink satellite colliding with a large spacecraft because of the former’s maneuverability. But last December, China complained to the UN that its new space station had to take evasive action twice to avoid a collision with Starlink satellites last year.
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