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SpaceX says 40 out of 49 new Starlink satellites lost due to strong magnetic storm

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As you know, on February 3, 2022, from the launch pad located at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida, USA), the Falcon 9 launch vehicle launched 49 newest satellites into low Earth orbit starlink.

But due to the geomagnetic storm that broke out on February 4, 40 satellites, most likely, have already entered the dense layers of the atmosphere and burned up there.

Long exposure rocket launch. SpaceX source
Long exposure rocket launch. SpaceX source
Long exposure rocket launch. SpaceX source

SpaceX lost the latest satellites almost immediately after they were put into orbit

As you know, an American private company, as part of its project to provide access to high-speed Internet to any point of the Earth, systematically increases its constellation of satellites at low orbit.

The deployment takes place at an altitude of approximately 210 km from the Earth's surface. And if for some reason the satellite does not pass the initial check of the system, then it is de-orbited as quickly as possible and burns out in the dense layers of the atmosphere completely.

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Starlink satellites in the night sky. Frame: Marco Langbroek/Vimeo
Starlink satellites in the night sky. Frame: Marco Langbroek/Vimeo

So, the deployment of a new batch of 49 spacecraft was strongly influenced by a strong geomagnetic storm that broke out on February 4, 2022.

This storm provoked a strong heating of the atmosphere and actually increased its density just at the heights of satellite deployment.

And sensors showed that atmospheric drag had increased by almost 50% compared to previous launches. Scientists working in the Starlink project have transferred already operating spacecraft into the so-called safe mode. flight (putting them on an "edge" relative to the plane of the Earth) in order to maximally level the resistance atmosphere.

Falcon 9 rocket launch
Falcon 9 rocket launch

But as the analysis of the collected data showed, this increase in atmospheric resistance did not allow new satellites to switch from safe mode and by maneuvering move to higher working orbits of the order of 40 satellites. And they either have already entered, or are at the entrance to the dense layers of the atmosphere, where they will completely burn out.

Certainly, this is a unique situation, which shows that subsequent launches should be prepared much more carefully. But this failure will not change the company's plans to create a network with global Internet access from anywhere in the world, but only slightly delay.

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