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Global satellite communications. Conceptual representation of a global network of communications satellites, such as the Starlink satellites.

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SpaceX announced today that it will be sending some 100 Starlink satellites to an early retreat after a flaw was identified that could make them a vexation later on . Do n’t expect a fiery light show , though , and if you employ Starlink , your divine service should be unaffected .

The announcementexplains that “ the Starlink team identified a common issuance ” in this subset of first - generation communicating satellite that could “ increase the chance of failure . ”

I ’ve asked the company for further details and will update this C. W. Post if I hear back , but establish on the description and circumstance , it seems probable that the “ failure ” in interrogation would think of a personnel casualty of restraint . Seventeen Starlink satellite are “ currently non - manoeuvrable , ” but SpaceX did not say whether this was due to the same issue as the 100 being de - orbited .

Unpowered satellite are more or less just debris , even if at a low electron orbit like this one they ’ll sting up in a few years rather than in a few hundred . One of the criticism of mega - constellations like Starlink is their voltage to contribute to the infinite junk problem , and SpaceX does n’t require to be the one that people blame when the sky is full of broken orbiter .

That explain why , with these satellites act utterly well despite their eld , SpaceX has decided to initiate controlled origin to take them out of ambit .

The descents will be triggered “ in the coming calendar week and month , ” but these planet are n’t capable of big moves , so this is more of a nudge in the downward commission . The de - orbit process will actually take about six months , during which they will also “ take maneuver obligation for any gamey - risk conjunction , ” meaning if they happen to cross paths with other orbiter , the Starlink ones will politely move out of the way of life .

They will pass one by one , not all together , so do n’t bother watching the skies .

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Users of Starlink need not venerate , however , since there are still thousands of function artificial satellite up there . Nearly 6,000 have been launched to appointment , and 406 have been de - orbited , and others may not be operational , but there are more than enough of them to service customers .