The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit
Abstract On 3 February 2022, SpaceX launched 49 Starlink satellites, 38 of which unexpectedly de‐orbited. Although this event was attributed to space weather, definitive causality remained elusive because space weather conditions were not extreme. In this study, we identify solar sources of the inte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003716 |
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| author | Yoshita Baruah Souvik Roy Suvadip Sinha Erika Palmerio Sanchita Pal Denny M. Oliveira Dibyendu Nandy |
| author_facet | Yoshita Baruah Souvik Roy Suvadip Sinha Erika Palmerio Sanchita Pal Denny M. Oliveira Dibyendu Nandy |
| author_sort | Yoshita Baruah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract On 3 February 2022, SpaceX launched 49 Starlink satellites, 38 of which unexpectedly de‐orbited. Although this event was attributed to space weather, definitive causality remained elusive because space weather conditions were not extreme. In this study, we identify solar sources of the interplanetary coronal mass ejections that were responsible for the geomagnetic storms around the time of launch of the Starlink satellites and for the first time, investigate their impact on Earth's magnetosphere using magnetohydrodynamic modeling. The model results demonstrate that the satellites were launched into an already disturbed space environment that persisted over several days. However, on performing comparative satellite orbital decay analyses, we find that space weather alone was not responsible but conspired together with a low‐altitude insertion and low satellite mass‐to‐area ratio to precipitate this unusual loss. Our work bridges space weather causality across the Sun–Earth system—with relevance for space‐based human technologies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96458ca9fb7c4662ba841e1dcf7ffde7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-96458ca9fb7c4662ba841e1dcf7ffde72025-01-14T16:27:28ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902024-04-01224n/an/a10.1029/2023SW003716The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth OrbitYoshita Baruah0Souvik Roy1Suvadip Sinha2Erika Palmerio3Sanchita Pal4Denny M. Oliveira5Dibyendu Nandy6Department of Physical Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur IndiaCenter of Excellence in Space Sciences India, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur IndiaCenter of Excellence in Space Sciences India, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur IndiaPredictive Science Inc. San Diego CA USAHeliophysics Science Division NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAHeliophysics Science Division NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USADepartment of Physical Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur IndiaAbstract On 3 February 2022, SpaceX launched 49 Starlink satellites, 38 of which unexpectedly de‐orbited. Although this event was attributed to space weather, definitive causality remained elusive because space weather conditions were not extreme. In this study, we identify solar sources of the interplanetary coronal mass ejections that were responsible for the geomagnetic storms around the time of launch of the Starlink satellites and for the first time, investigate their impact on Earth's magnetosphere using magnetohydrodynamic modeling. The model results demonstrate that the satellites were launched into an already disturbed space environment that persisted over several days. However, on performing comparative satellite orbital decay analyses, we find that space weather alone was not responsible but conspired together with a low‐altitude insertion and low satellite mass‐to‐area ratio to precipitate this unusual loss. Our work bridges space weather causality across the Sun–Earth system—with relevance for space‐based human technologies.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003716geomagnetic stormscoronal mass ejectionshigh speed streamsmagnetohydrodynamic modelingsatellite orbital decayspace weather |
| spellingShingle | Yoshita Baruah Souvik Roy Suvadip Sinha Erika Palmerio Sanchita Pal Denny M. Oliveira Dibyendu Nandy The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit Space Weather geomagnetic storms coronal mass ejections high speed streams magnetohydrodynamic modeling satellite orbital decay space weather |
| title | The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit |
| title_full | The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit |
| title_fullStr | The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit |
| title_short | The Loss of Starlink Satellites in February 2022: How Moderate Geomagnetic Storms Can Adversely Affect Assets in Low‐Earth Orbit |
| title_sort | loss of starlink satellites in february 2022 how moderate geomagnetic storms can adversely affect assets in low earth orbit |
| topic | geomagnetic storms coronal mass ejections high speed streams magnetohydrodynamic modeling satellite orbital decay space weather |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003716 |
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