SpaceX to Lower Orbits of 4,400+ Starlink Satellites in 2026

SpaceX announced plans on Thursday to reconfigure its Starlink satellite constellation by lowering the orbit of thousands of satellites starting in 2026, a move aimed at enhancing safety in the increasingly crowded low Earth orbit.

Michael Nicolls, SpaceX's vice president of Starlink engineering, detailed the initiative in a post on the social media platform X. The company intends to adjust the altitude of more than 4,400 satellites currently orbiting at approximately 550 kilometers above Earth to about 480 kilometers over the course of the year. This reconfiguration will be coordinated with regulators, other satellite operators, and the U.S. Space Command to minimize disruptions and ensure compliance with international space norms.

The primary goal is to reduce collision risks and accelerate the natural deorbiting of satellites if they malfunction. Nicolls explained that orbital regions below 500 kilometers contain significantly fewer debris objects and planned satellite constellations compared to higher altitudes. "Lowering the satellites results in condensing Starlink orbits, and will increase space safety in several ways," he wrote, noting that the change would lead to more...