SpaceX lost about 40 Starlink satellites due to geomagnetic storm


 Moscow. February 9. INTERFAX.RU - The American private aerospace company SpaceX lost about 40 Starlink Internet satellites out of 49 launched into orbit on February 3, as a result of a geomagnetic storm, the company reported on its website.

"Preliminary analysis showed that the increased resistance at low altitudes did not allow the satellites to leave safe mode and begin orbit correction, about 40 satellites will return or have already returned to the Earth's atmosphere," the company said in a statement.

The company noted that due to the storm, air resistance has become 50% stronger than with previous launches. Experts decided to transfer the mini-satellites to a safe mode, in which they moved in orbit "sideways" to reduce resistance, but these measures did not help.

According to the company, the devices that have deorbited do not pose a threat to other satellites and are designed to burn up upon entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

The  launch of 49 Starlink Internet satellites was carried out using a Falcon 9 heavy launch vehicle on February 3 at 13:13 us East Coast time (22:13) from launch complex 39A at the Cape Canaveral spaceport in Florida.

SpaceX's orbital constellation consists of more than two thousand spacecraft weighing 290 kg each. Currently, the company is the largest satellite operator in the world.

In the future, SpaceX plans to deploy an orbital grouping of 12 thousand spacecraft of this type (and subsequently - from 30 thousand) to create a full-scale network that will provide the inhabitants of the Earth with broadband Internet access in any corner of the planet. The total amount of investment in the implementation of the project is estimated at $ 10 billion

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