The intensification of solar activity is reducing satellite life in terrestrial orbit, in particular in large -scale projects such as the Starlinkfrom the company SpaceXby Elon Musk, according to a recent study by NASA -GODDARD CENTER researchers.
The phenomenon, intensified during the “Solar maximum“(Pico of sun activity every 11 years), warms and expands the terrestrial atmosphere, increasing the drag over satellites.
The survey, led by Brazilian researcher Denny Oliveira and his colleagues from the Goddard Center in Maryland, revealed that geomagnetic storms accelerate the reentry of satellites on the earth. During solar maximum, the life of a satellite can be Reduced within 10 daysaccording to the researchers.
“We found that when we have, the reentry of satellites is faster than expected,” Oliveira said in an interview with New Scientist magazine. “It’s the first time in history that we have the reunitation of so many satellites at the same time. In a few years we will have the reentry of satellites every day.”
Com More than 7 thousand Starlink satellites In the orbit of the earth and weekly reentry, the effect of solar activity has become more evident. Between 2020 and 2024, 523 satellites Starlink reentry in the atmosphere.
For researcher Sean Elvidge of the University of Birmingham, also quoted by New Scientist magazine, this movement can have a positive side: the faster removal of disabled satellites, which would reduce the. But the accelerated reentry also raises concerns.
OLIVEIRA Alert to The chance of objects do not completely disintegratecan reach the ground. In August 2024, a fragment of a 2.5 kg Starlink satellite was found in Canada, a rare case, but according to Samantha Lawler of the University of Regina, may indicate that other debris has gone unnoticed.
Spacex did not comment on the study of NASA researchers.
