Friday, April 7, 2023 09:21 PM
One of SpaceX’s new Starlink internet satellites fell toward Earth and burned up in the atmosphere, as it was captured by a California skywatcher. The device is one of SpaceX’s V2Mini, the latest model, and is said to be having problems.
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said that this satellite was launched into orbit only last month, and 21 satellites were launched on February 27 and a whole group of those faced problems. , but only one is shot down and the rest are being held while the space company decides whether or not they are salvageable.
McDowell added that there are 3,912 Starlink satellites in orbit, and 305 have re-entered and burned up.
Those defunct satellites, said the astronomer, are declining as they are ready to retire, making way for the new Starlinks V2Minis that have moved into their place.
Although V2Minis are new, Musk has previously revealed that the new versions have some issues that may force SpaceX to dump the kit.
This satellite captured in the video, seen by Dann Cianca, chief meteorologist for KION546, is labeled Starlink-30062.
Starlink-30062 was one of 21 satellites launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 27. SpaceX claims that the new V2 Minis add about four times the network capacity per satellite compared to previous versions. These devices weigh about 1,830 pounds.
Source: Technology News: One of the new Starlink Internet satellites fell from the sky and caught fire
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