"SpaceX revealed that it had lost control of one of its Starlink satellites after suffering an 'anomaly.' The broadband-beaming asset vented its propulsion tank and saw its orbit decay rapidly, releasing a 'small number of trackable low relative velocity objects.'"
"Three months later, SpaceX admitted that yet another satellite had 'experienced an anomaly' at an altitude of roughly 350 miles. The offending satellite, dubbed Starlink 34343, appears to have broken up into 'tens of objects' that were detected in its vicinity following the event."
"'We've characterized this event as likely caused by an internal energetic source rather than a collision with space debris or another object,' Leo Labs tweeted, in another euphemistic description of an orbital blast."
"The pair of mishaps highlight how space debris in our planet's orbit continues to be a contentious issue. Pieces of rocketry and retired spacecraft are cluttering the space SpaceX is looking to fill with thousands of more Starlink satellites."
SpaceX reported losing control of two Starlink satellites due to anomalies, leading to fragmentation and the creation of multiple debris objects. The first incident involved a satellite venting its propulsion tank, while the second satellite, Starlink 34343, broke up into numerous pieces. SpaceX stated that these events pose no risk to the International Space Station or upcoming missions. The incidents underscore ongoing concerns regarding space debris as SpaceX plans to launch thousands more satellites, contributing to the clutter in Earth's orbit.
Read at Futurism
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