Shortly after launching 49 Starlink satellites, SpaceX was stunned as they all fell out of orbit and burned up. NASA has recently revealed the reason behind this incident.
The “Death” of 49 Satellites
On February 3, 2022, SpaceX launched a batch of 49 Starlink satellites to an altitude of just 210 km above the Earth’s surface.
However, they did not last long. Subsequently, all of them were consumed by flames and fell back to Earth. The loss of the Starlink satellites cost SpaceX millions of dollars.
A team of researchers from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and The Catholic University of America closely examined the cause of this disaster.
Image of a Starlink satellite – (Photo: AP).
Their analysis identified that a plasma mass from the Sun impacted the Earth’s magnetosphere. This plasma mass traveled away from the Sun at a speed of approximately 690 km/s in the form of a shock wave magnetic cloud.
As this mass moved, the satellites oriented towards the Sun, including the STEREO-A astronomical observatory, were directly impacted.
According to the research team’s explanation, when the Sun is active, it can cause a phenomenon known as “space weather.” During this time, a region called the “thermosphere” heats up. This increases the density of the upper atmosphere for a short period and causes it to expand.
Essentially, a denser atmosphere slows down everything moving through it and also heats everything up.
Confronted with atmospheric drag, the Starlink satellites fell out of orbit and burned up on their descent.
Reports indicate that SpaceX still decided to launch the satellites despite warnings from space weather experts about the effects of a geomagnetic storm.
The Threat from the Sun
The Sun continuously sends streams of charged particles known as solar wind into space. These streams vary in density, speed, and temperature.
Occasionally, the Sun also ejects plasma masses in a phenomenon known as “coronal mass ejection.” Sometimes it also emits solar flares.
During periods of heightened solar activity, these plasma clouds can occur quite frequently.
If they impact the Earth, depending on their intensity, they can create spectacular auroras, disrupt commercial satellite operations, or cause power outages on the ground…
Currently, solar activity is increasing as it enters a phase known as “solar maximum.” This means that communications and other satellites are at risk. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are also at risk.
Not only in space, but power grids, communication lines, and other technologies on Earth are also at risk of being affected.
