A recent NASA study reveals that increased solar activity, particularly during solar maximum, is significantly reducing the lifespan of satellites in Earth's orbit. The study, soon to be published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Science, provides a quantitative assessment of how these solar events impact large satellite constellations like Starlink.
Researchers found that a satellite's lifespan can decrease by up to 10 days during periods of intense geomagnetic storms. These storms heat Earth's atmosphere, causing it to expand and increase drag on satellites. This effect is especially noticeable with the growing number of satellites, including the over 7,000 Starlink satellites providing global internet services, with plans to expand to over 30,000.
Data indicates frequent satellite re-entries, with 120 Starlink satellites burning up in January 2025 alone. From 2020 to 2024, 523 Starlink satellites re-entered the atmosphere. While some are intentionally deorbited, others fall due to atmospheric drag. During intense geomagnetic events, some satellites below 300 kilometers altitude de-orbited approximately every five days instead of the usual 15. However, unplanned de-orbiting raises concerns about potential incomplete burning and the risk of debris reaching Earth's surface. In August 2024, a fragment from a Starlink satellite was found in Canada, marking a rare instance of a component surviving re-entry.