SpaceX Loses Over 200 Starlink Satellites in Recent Months

According to satellite tracking data obtained by the American cybersecurity website CyberNews, Elon Musk's SpaceX has lost more than 200 Starlink satellites in the past two months, and the specific reasons are yet to be determined. This represents a new record for the number of satellites lost by SpaceX. Between July 18th and September 18th, the Starlink network suffered a loss of 212 satellites, an unusually high number. The exact cause remains unclear, but it appears unrelated to the lifespan of the Starlink satellites.

As the number of satellites launched by SpaceX continues to increase, the number of retired or damaged satellites also rises. Data indicates a steady growth in the number of satellites lost by SpaceX over the past three years. However, a noticeable peak has been observed since July. This discrepancy may raise doubts about the accuracy of the numbers listed on the satellitemap.space website, which provides real-time information on the quantity and distribution of Starlink satellites in orbit. The data is sourced from spacetrack.org and other public tracking information.

The most common reason for satellite loss is the expiration of their lifespan, leading to their intentional departure from orbit according to predefined procedures. However, the situation in the past two months may be different, and this is not the first time SpaceX satellites have encountered issues. In February 2022, a solar storm caused 47 Starlink satellites to reenter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. That incident may have been related to a geomagnetic storm, but it was primarily due to SpaceX proceeding with the launch despite being aware of unfavorable conditions. The company had received warnings about the impact of geomagnetic storms.

In another incident in February, SpaceX lost multiple Starlink V2 Mini satellites due to an unknown issue. Musk attributed the failure to the new technology used in this generation of satellites. He stated that some satellites deviated from their orbits, while others could be successfully placed into orbit through appropriate adjustments.

Over the past few years, SpaceX has launched over 5,000 satellites into low Earth orbit using reusable rocket boosters, with an estimated 4,500 of them believed to be in active service. Starlink satellites are considered consumable devices and are expected to burn up upon reentering the Earth's atmosphere after approximately five years of service.