A camera that is part of the network of the Caribbean Astronomical Society (SAC) located in Añasco captured, last Monday, the moment when one or more of the satellites of the company’s Starlink communications system SpaceX it disintegrated in the earth’s atmosphere.
The objects were at least two of over 40 that the businessman’s aerospace company Elon Musk lost this week due to a geomagnetic storm caused by the interaction of solar winds emitted by the Sol on January 29 with the Earth’s atmosphere.
The camera recorded a first object, around 1:40 am, which can be seen as a bright point in the sky, as it entered the atmosphere. At first, only a few bright objects can be seen “chasing” the satellite; these are pieces of the satellite that broke off and began to burn due to intense friction with the air. In another angle, the total disintegration of another satellite satellite that broke into multiple pieces is shown.
Each Starlink satellite weighs regarding 570 pounds and, as of today, SpaceX has placed regarding 2,000 objects that are part of the system into orbit. This communications system operates at a height of 340 miles and is designed to provide high-speed Internet service to customers who pay a monthly fee.especially in places where there is no solid infrastructure that allows high-speed connections.
These 40 satellites reached low orbit (130 miles high) on February 3, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The satellites reached their initial orbit without problems, but failed to climb to their operational height of 340 miles due to the geomagnetic storm.
SpaceX scientists maintain that the geomagnetic storm caused an increase of more than 50% in atmospheric density. This, in turn, caused more friction than expected between the low-orbiting satellites and the atmosphere, and as they became “trapped,” gravity took over and forced them to re-enter..
SpaceX initially places newly launched units in low orbit because it is easier for them to re-enter the atmosphere, where they disintegrate, if they suffer some kind of damage or mishap before reaching their operational height.
The company said it is working with the United States Space Force to monitor the remaining satellites from the February 3 launch.
