Starlink to Lower Satellites to 480 Kilometers in 2026 to Cut Collision Risk
Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet unit, said it will lower satellites currently operating at about 550 kilometers to 480 kilometers over the course of 2026, a move it says is designed to improve space safety.
Starlink engineering vice president Michael Nicolls said shifting to a lower altitude would concentrate Starlink’s operating orbits, and that there are fewer debris objects and fewer planned satellite fleets below 500 kilometers, which could reduce collision risk.
The plan follows a December incident in which Starlink said one satellite suffered an in-space anomaly that produced a small amount of debris and cut communications at 418 kilometers; the spacecraft then dropped about four kilometers, which the company said suggested an onboard explosion.
With the number of spacecraft in orbit rising rapidly, SpaceX has become the world’s largest satellite operator through Starlink, with nearly 10,000 satellites supporting broadband service for consumer, government, and enterprise users.
