Overview

• A NASA Goddard Space Flight Center study shows that geomagnetic storms during Solar Cycle 25 boost atmospheric drag, causing satellites below 300 km to deorbit about 10 days earlier than expected.
• SpaceX operates over 7,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit and holds approval to expand the constellation to as many as 30,000.
• Faster re-entries have already led to uncontrolled debris incidents, including the 2022 loss of 49 satellites over the Caribbean and a fragment found in Saskatchewan in 2024.
• Researchers warn that more rapid deorbits could heighten collision risks for assets such as the International Space Station and worsen orbital congestion.
• Regulators including the FCC and FAA are under growing pressure to require controlled re-entry systems and strengthen guidelines for megaconstellation launches.