Starlink plans to move about 4,400 of its satellites to a lower orbit this year to make space safer. Michael Nicolls, the company’s Vice President of Engineering, shared the news on X. He explained that SpaceX is starting a major reconfiguration of its massive satellite network. Right now, these satellites fly at about 550 kilometers (342 miles) above Earth. Soon, they will sit at 480 kilometers (298 miles).
Nicolls says this move serves several purposes. First, it clears the way for a less crowded area. This reduces the risk of satellites colliding. It also helps satellites fall back to Earth and burn up more quickly if they break down or “die” in orbit.
The timing is determined by the sun’s natural cycle. We are heading toward a “solar minimum” in the early 2030s. During this period, the sun is less active, which makes the Earth’s upper atmosphere less dense. Normally, thin air provides enough drag to pull dead satellites back down. If the air is too thin, a broken satellite could stay stuck in orbit for four years or more. By moving the satellites lower, Starlink cuts that “decay time” down to just a few months. Nicolls noted that this change represents an 80% reduction in the time a satellite spends drifting before it burns up.
Safety has become a major concern for the company lately. Just a few weeks ago, a Starlink satellite had a glitch that created debris. Nicolls also recently posted about a “close call” with a group of satellites launched from China. He claimed those satellites went up without any effort to coordinate with other people using that space.
By lowering the constellation, Starlink hopes to better handle these “uncoordinated” risks. If a satellite from another country flies too close, or if a launch occurs without warning, Starlink’s lower orbit provides a safety net. This shift shows how SpaceX is trying to manage the growing traffic jam in low Earth orbit before a serious crash happens.
