Elon Musk SpaceX Starlink Satellites: When a satellite is sent into space, many people assume it simply stays there and does its job silently. We rarely think about where the satellite sits or why its position matters. But for companies operating thousands of satellites, altitude, alignment, and speed are carefully planned decisions and not fixed points.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX understands this better than most. Now, the company is making a quiet but important change to its Starlink satellites. Starting in 2026, Starlink will lower the height of its satellites from about 550 km to around 480 km above Earth, according to Reuters. This change will not bring new features or faster internet speeds. The reason behind the move is safety.
After a rare spacecraft failure late last year, SpaceX appears to be taking a more careful approach to how crowded low Earth orbit has become. With more satellites being launched, space debris is now a major concern. By placing its satellites at a lower orbit, SpaceX hopes to reduce risks and make space operations safer, especially as competition in space continues to grow worldwide.
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SpaceX’s Vice President’s Response
Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink engineering, said the aim is to move Starlink satellites to a lower and less crowded orbit. Below 500 kilometres, there are fewer satellites and less space debris. This helps reduce the risk of crashes in space. (Also Read: Oppo A6 Pro 5G Launched In India With 7,000mAh Battery; Check Display, Camera, Chipset And Other Features)
However, the lower orbits also make it easier to handle old satellites. When they stop working, they fall back to Earth faster and burn up in the atmosphere. This prevents them from staying in space and adding to the growing problem of space junk.
World’s Largest Satellite Operator
SpaceX has quietly become the world’s largest satellite operator. The company now has nearly 10,000 satellites that provide internet to homes, businesses, governments, and remote areas. By lowering the height of its satellites, SpaceX appears to be responding to growing concerns from regulators, astronomers, and other satellite companies about how crowded Earth’s orbit has become.
However, many companies are racing to place satellites in space, but authorities have warned that traffic must be controlled. Even space has limits. By taking the lead, SpaceX may encourage other companies to follow similar steps or look for safer satellite positions.
