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    Starlink plans to lower satellite orbit to enhance safety in 2026
    Space

    Starlink plans to lower satellite orbit to enhance safety in 2026


    I didn't see this posted here. The reasoning is better detailed here (Starlink's VP of engineering): https://xcancel.com/michaelnicollsx/status/2006790372681220530

    I found the reason interesting (solar minimum increasing orbital decay time). I wonder if they will raise their orbits back in the next solar cycle.

    https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/starlink-plans-lower-satellite-orbit-enhance-safety-2026-2026-01-01/

    View 7 Comments

    7 Comments

    2. NoBusiness674 on

      Kind of odd that they are doing this now, when we are just barely past the solar maximum and maybe around 5 years from reaching the next solar minimum. Perhaps they’ll lower them further when we actually get close to the minimum near the end of the decade.

    5. shortfinal on

      So this is an admission that the starlink satellites which recently had a malfunction do not have a decay time of one year.. but four plus.

      So they need to get the shell tighter so they decay in one year instead.