Starlink, a satellite internet project owned by Elon Musk—currently the world’s richest man—has deployed thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit to improve connectivity in remote regions and aboard aircraft. While the initiative aims to bridge digital divides, it has also sparked growing environmental concern.
Every day, some of these satellites fall back to Earth and burn up in the atmosphere. Though designed to avoid creating long-term space debris, this process has emerged as a significant environmental phenomenon, raising red flags among scientists worldwide.
To date, SpaceX has launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites, with projections indicating tens of thousands more in the coming years. Each satellite weighs approximately 250 kilograms and has a planned operational lifespan of just five years.
At the end of this lifecycle, satellites are guided back toward Earth, disintegrating upon re-entry in the upper atmosphere. While this may seem like a responsible solution to space junk, experts are increasingly warning that the cumulative environmental impact—particularly from the materials released during atmospheric re-entry—could pose serious risks to both the planet and humanity.
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