Starlink lost over 200 satellites in two months
There’s been an uptick in burned Starlink satellites over the summer, according to satellite tracking data
Starlink, a satellite constellation operated by aerospace company SpaceX, lost 212 satellites in the period spanning July 18th and September 18th, data compiled by satellitemap.space shows.
Data shows the number of burned-up satellites steadily increasing over the past three years, but a significant spike can be observed starting the month of July.
It’s unclear whether these satellites were scheduled to de-orbit or whether the burn-ups were a result of a failure. Cybernews has reached out to SpaceX for comment but has not received a response.
Some experts questioned the accuracy of numbers posted on the tracker website, saying they appeared to be unusually high. According to satellitemap.space, its data is based on public tracking information published on space-track.org and elsewhere.
Starlink satellites are designed to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere at the end of their life cycle, which is approximately five years.
SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites in 2019. Over 5,000 have been sent into Earth’s lower orbit since then. Of those, about 4,500 are believed to be active.
Satellites can also be vulnerable to electromagnetic storms, with strong solar flares recorded this summer as the sun enters a period of heightened activity.
Destructive solar events have affected Starlink before. In February last year, SpaceX said it lost 40 new satellites shortly after launch because of an electromagnetic storm.
When accounting for the rocket launch, it potentially cost the company about $100 million in damages.
See more here cybernews.com
Header image: Starlink Insider
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Howdy
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“It’s unclear whether these satellites were scheduled to de-orbit or whether the burn-ups were a result of a failure.”
Unclear, meaning not a clue.
De-orbit, so such vehicles are disposable? Ah, like wind generators then. Just what the doctor ordered from a company gaffer purporting to be the green messiah.
You don’t seriously expect quality hardware from a company run by musk do you?
The track record speaks for itself. A child with toys. If It breaks, throw it and get a new one. What’s that, waste? The more the merrier.
You know, There are plans to probably try to deflect massive Earth destroying space bodies, but for a bit of radiation, ‘they’ are powerless, or just not interested.
That quite sums it up I think.
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Wisenox
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“Starlink” will connect with “Neuralink”, which they plan to connect to carbon nanotubes and other devices in your body and brain.
Don’t believe it? Search for the internet of bio-nano things and you’ll see.
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Howdy
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In connection with the post by Wisenox, here’s a couple of links I found, but I don’t claim they are definitive:
https://hackernoon.com/wtf-is-internet-of-bio-nano-thingsiobnt-and-how-secure-is-it-v62z32a5
A large PDF file:
https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/opb/jnl/S-JNL-VOL2.ISSUE3-2021-A08-PDF-E.pdf
It goes without saying that any tech that relies on communication and computer protocols can be broken and intercepted by third parties. While the applications mentioned are noble, one has to realise the darker side is more attractive to many, with a ‘back door’, ‘kill switch’, or remote hacking maybe possible. This important aspect will, as usual, be a bridge crossed when it has to be. This is the ignorance of a project based on fame only.
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Wisenox
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Iobnt is scary stuff. I searched on pubmed and that information was bad enough. These people quite clearly expect that these devices will be in people’s brains.
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Tom
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Hopefully they lose the rest of them.
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Jerr
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The Ukrainian war cannot be ruled out as a cause of the burnt out satellites. The Ukrainians have networked their command and control into Starlink. The Russian have complained about this and threatened to destroy satellites. Elon Musk blows cold and hot allowing the Ukrainians access to Staink then removing it.
Possible the satellites are being neutralized by other than natural means.
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