SpaceX will lower approximately 4,400 Starlink satellites from 550 kilometers to 480 kilometers altitude throughout 2026, according to Michael Nicolls, the company's vice president of Starlink engineering, in a move coordinated with other operators, regulators, and U.S. Space Command.
The orbital adjustment will reduce ballistic decay time by over 80% during solar minimum—shortening the period from more than four years to just months—and decrease collision risks since debris objects and planned constellations are significantly lower below 500 kilometers.
The announcement follows a December incident when a Starlink satellite experienced a propulsion tank failure that created debris and caused it to fall four kilometers in altitude, highlighting the need for faster deorbiting of malfunctioning spacecraft.
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