SpaceX deorbited 260 Starlink satellites in the last six months. Each one weighs about 2,700 pounds. They burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. That’s deliberate — it’s how they retire old hardware.
But here’s the thing nobody’s talking about enough: burning thousands of pounds of orbital hardware in the atmosphere has environmental consequences. These aren’t just metal boxes. They contain electronics, wiring, composites. The ablation products end up somewhere.
Researchers are raising concerns about what happens when you turn low-Earth orbit into a disposal lane. Atmospheric chemistry at high altitudes is sensitive. We don’t fully understand the long-term effects of vaporizing satellite materials in the mesosphere.
The FCC, meanwhile, is considering exempting satellites from certain environmental regulations. That would make it easier for companies like SpaceX to keep launching and deorbiting without the usual oversight.
It’s a trade-off. Satellite internet has real benefits. But burning 260 satellites in six months — and accelerating — deserves more scrutiny than it’s getting.
