The "Starlink" program of the U.S. Space Exploration Technology Company (SpaceX) stated that itsA satellite experienced an anomaly in space on the 17th, producing a "small amount" of debris and losing communication with the ground at an altitude of 418 kilometers.It was a rare power accident in orbit for the satellite internet giant.
"Starlink" posted on social platforms that the satellite remains roughly intact and is currently tumbling. It is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up completely within a few weeks. The article also stated that this satellite is one of the nearly 10,000 satellites in space for its broadband Internet network. The satellite's rapid loss of altitude indicates that it may have experienced some kind of explosion.
Information shows that Starlink is a low-orbit Internet constellation plan proposed by the U.S. Space Exploration Technology Corporation in 2014. The plan plans to use tens of thousands of satellites to replace traditional communication facilities on the ground to provide satellite broadband services globally. The goal is to build a global coverage, large-capacity, and low-latency communication system to provide high-speed Internet services worldwide.
On December 22, 2023, the number of Starlink global users exceeded 2.3 million.