Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are falling to Earth at an alarming rate

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Source: The Independent

Thursday 09 October 2025 12:19 BST


Up to four satellites from Elon Musk’s massive Starlink constellation are falling to Earth every day, according to space trackers. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in the US, recorded an average of between one to two Starlink satellites deorbiting each day in 2025.

That figure is expected to rise to around five per day as SpaceX continues to grow its space internet constellation. Videos of Starlink satellites falling to Earth have appeared across social media in recent weeks, causing concern that they could pose a risk to people on the ground.

There are currently around 20,000 objects being tracked in low-Earth orbit, including 12,000 working satellites – 8,500 of which are Starlink satellites. With a lifespan of around five years, Starlink satellites are purposefully designed to burn up entirely in the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the ground. So while the events may appear alarming as they streak across the sky, they are not dangerous.

Dr McDowell warned that other objects re-entering could pose a significant threat, as they are not being controlled by their operators.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/space/elon-musk-starlink-satellites-deorbit-b2842265.html