The satellites launched on Feb. 3, only to be hit by the storm a day later.
, which is operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This interaction can warm Earth's upper atmosphere and increase atmospheric density high enough above the planet to affect satellites in low orbits like SpaceX's new Starlink craft. Friday's geomagnetic storm came on the heels of athat sent a wave of charged particles toward Earth that was expected to arrive on Feb. 2.
The 49 satellites SpaceX launched last week were deployed in an initial orbit that skimmed as low as 130 miles above Earth at its lowest point. SpaceX has said it intentionally releases Starlink batches in a low orbit so that they can be disposed of swiftly in case of a failure just after launch. That orbit design, it turned out, left the fleet vulnerable to Friday's geomagnetic storm.
"In fact, onboard GPS suggests the escalation speed and severity of the storm caused atmospheric drag to increase up to 50 percent higher than during previous launches," SpaceX wrote in its update.
But for most of the new Starlink satellites, the drag was too much. Locked in their safe mode, up to 40 of them were expected to fall out of orbit like"The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry — meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground," SpaceX wrote of the satellites' reentry.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Netflix’s Best Picture Contender Marks the Culmination of a Master’s 40-Year CareerWith The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion revisits old themes, but it’s also unlike anything she’s done.
Lire la suite »
The man who has lived as a hermit for 40 yearsKen Smith lives without electricity or running water in a hand-made log cabin on the banks of a remote loch in Scotland. (via BBC)
Lire la suite »
Minecraft Player Builds Massive Pyramid Containing 40 Different FarmsA dedicated Minecraft player spent 6 months in survival mode constructing a huge pyramid that impressively houses about 40 functional farms.
Lire la suite »
40 Early ‘90s Things That Geriatric Millennials Literally Haven’t Thought About In 20 YearsPut on your Reebok Pumps and take a stroll down forgotten memories lane.
Lire la suite »
Over 40% of people using alcohol or cannabis recently drove under the influence, study findsMore than 40% of drivers reporting alcohol and cannabis use in a national survey also reported driving under the influence of one or both of the substances, a new study found
Lire la suite »