Spacex Disposed of 260 Starlink Satellites Via Atmospheric Reentry in Six Months
The scale of satellite disposal and the call for industry-wide transparency highlight the growing environmental and operational challenges of maintaining a mega-constellation.
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
SpaceX disclosed in an FCC semi-annual report that it disposed of 260 Starlink satellites by burning them up in the atmosphere between December 2025 and May 2026. Another 349 satellites were decommissioned and await disposal. The report also details collision avoidance maneuvers and hardware failures.
SpaceX told the FCC it disposed of 260 Starlink satellites through controlled atmospheric reentry over six months. Of those, 176 were first-generation and the rest second-generation. Another 349 satellites were decommissioned in the same period and are scheduled for disposal. The company routinely deorbits multiple satellites per day, each with a roughly five-year lifespan. First-generation satellites weigh 260 to 295 kilograms; second-generation weigh 800 to 1,250 kilograms. Recovery is cost-prohibitive, so incineration is standard. Researchers have called for more study of atmospheric effects. The FCC has proposed exempting satellite operations from NEPA review as extraterrestrial activities, but the proposal is not yet approved.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.