Solar storms pushed Eileon Musk to Earth

New research indicates this The growing solar activity leads to the shortcomings of the satellite of SPACEXAnd he may send them to return to the ground at more speeds. Perhaps an undisputed way, this may increase the risk of satellite wreckage that declines.

This prehrint study, which has not yet been subject to the vision of the peer, adds to a wealth of evidence that shows this Solar storms cause chaos on Elon Musk’s Starlinks. Over the past few years, the frequency of these storms and intensity increased with the sun’s approaching the maximum solar-peak energy in the 11-year-old. At the same time, the number of satellites that revolve around the Earth has increased, This is largely due to the emergence of huge classifications such as Starlink.

A team of researchers led by religious Oliveira from the Guudard Space Center in NASA followed the re -introduction of the Starlink Swatal between 2020 and 2024. This period coincided with the increasing stage of the current solar cycle, when the solar activity exploded before the solar maximum, which occurred in October 2024.

Over those five years, 523 Starlink Sarellites has reinforced the Earth’s atmosphere. Olivira and his colleagues analyzed the orbits of these satellites using a statistical technology that defines patterns in how to change orbital decomposition rates and re -enter during the periods of high solar activity.

The researchers have found that the geomatic magnetic activity – the disorders of the upper atmosphere caused by solar explosions – stir the ties of the stars to re -introduce the Earth’s atmosphere to the Earth sooner sooner than expected. These satellites designer To stay in orbit for about five years. But during seizures of severe geomagnetic storms, her life may be reduced by 10 to 12 days, as Oliveira told Gizmodo.

He and his colleagues believe that this happens because the geomagnetic magnetic activity heats the atmosphere and causes expansion. This increases the clouds on satellite, shortening their life and causing height loss more quickly while interacting with the upper atmosphere. Moreover, air withdrawal may increase the chances of satellite collision on ships, as tropical models that direct the measures of collision avoiding completely explain the effects of the geomatic magnetic activity. The team’s results are currently available on Preprint server Arxiv.

Oliveira explained that the difference of 10 to 12 days may not seem to be a big deal, but it may make it almost impossible on Spacex to make sure that Starlink returns to Earth by re -controlling Olivira. Moreover, its analysis indicates that the increase in clouds leads to the re -introduction of satellites at higher speeds, which are believed to increase the chances of access to the Earth.

This may seem intuitive, because increasing the speed of an object during entry generally increases the possibility of complete disintegration. But Oliveira is supposed to decline in stars at greater speeds that may have a better chance to survive due to the low interaction in the atmosphere. More research will need to confirm this hypothesis, because the study did not directly evaluate the risk of debris.

Starlinks is completely designed to burn while re -entering, but this does not always happen. In 2024, part of Starlink 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) made a farm in Saskashwan, a new world I mentioned. In February this year, Spacex He said Starlink fragments can return to Earth, but he claimed that this constitutes “no danger to humans on Earth, at sea, or in the air.”

There are now more than 7,500 stars in orbit, according to the Harvard Jonathan McConduel University, who Tracks constellation. In the end, Spacex hopes to clarify the size of this fleet, with the aim of launching 42,000 stars in total, according to Space.com. This is in addition to thousands of other satellites that revolve around the Earth.

“This is the first time in history ever, as we have a lot of satellites in orbit at the same time,” Olivira said. “Now, we have satellites that are largely back every week. Perhaps, in the months or years in the coming years, every day.” Understanding how changes in solar activity affects their age, and re -inserting them will be very important because the Earth’s orbit becomes increasingly crowded.