SPACEX DISAPPEARANCE OF 212 SATELLITES

Starlink, which has long been SpaceX's flagship, seeks to eliminate digital deserts by bringing good web connectivity to underserved areas. While the company launched its Starlink V2 satellites to great fanfare in March, others simply seem to evaporate into the skies.

A mysterious escape

For three years, SpaceX has regularly reported satellite losses, but this time the disappearance peaked between July 18 and September 18, 2023.

Some experts question the reliability of this data, particularly that accessible in real time on sites such as Satellite Map

However, figures from public sources like space-track.org support these statistics. For the moment, SpaceX has remained silent about these losses, leaving doubt as to their nature: are these losses planned as part of the Starlink project, or are they the result of technical failures?

Technology or natural phenomenon, who is the culprit ?

It is important to note that the satellites in the Starlink constellation are not intended to last indefinitely. SpaceX predicted a lifespan of approximately five years for these satellites, before their natural disintegration in the Earth's atmosphere. Since the inaugural launch in 2019, more than 5,000 satellites have been put into orbit, of which 4,500 are still operational.

Another factor, in addition to technical failures, must be taken into account: solar activity and its potential electromagnetic disturbances. Satellites are particularly vulnerable to these phenomena, and this summer the Sun has been particularly turbulent, generating intense solar storms.

This could provide part of the explanation for the mysterious disappearances.

Already last year, Starlink admitted the loss of 40 satellites due to violent solar winds. It is therefore possible that this new series of disappearances is attributable to the same causes. SpaceX will certainly have to provide clarification in the coming weeks, but for now, the mystery remains intact.

The situation that currently concerns SpaceX cannot be underestimated.

The eyes of the world are now on SpaceX, eagerly awaiting answers to these cosmic riddles.