Since this summer, a mystery has fascinated astronomy enthusiasts. More than 200 satellites from the company Starlink, which offers internet connection from space, have disappeared. There are many possible explanations, but the company remains silent.
The mystery surrounding the missing Starlink satellites has been solved by amateurs who are following the journey of these American devices live. You can observe their trajectories using a real-time map.
Two main hypotheses are put forward to explain their disappearance: a design flaw or the effects of solar storms. The latter can affect the electronic systems of satellites or cause them to slow down, leading them irretrievably towards Earth. According to experts, there is no risk because when these small devices enter the atmosphere they burn and evaporate completely.
However, problems remain. The Starlink satellites sit above the International Space Station. “This means that there are regularly broken satellites that go out of control, crossing the orbits of the International Space Station and around which the station has to maneuver,” emphasizes Luc Piguet, co-founder of ClearSpace, which should be the first device to recycle space debris.
Disposable satellites
In addition, the high number of Starlink satellites in orbit could cause problems. Before Starlink, large constellations included fewer than 100 satellites. Today, Elon Musk’s company has more than 4,000 devices in orbit. This overrepresentation of satellites could have effects that we cannot yet measure.
Another surprise concerns the lifespan of these satellites, which is only 5 years. “As technology advances extremely quickly, it is interesting to be able to replace a satellite in orbit after five to seven years, when the technology is almost obsolete,” said Fabien Jordan, founder of Astrocast.
The Vaud company, which specializes in the Internet of Things, has around twenty satellites, the third largest European constellation. The first device was supposed to be burned in the atmosphere within five months at the end of its life.
Pascal Wassmer