In order to improve space safety, Starlink will lower all of its satellites in 2026 prior to India’s launch.

Elon Musk’s company, Starlink, has announced a significant modification to the way its satellite network would function in space as it gets ready to potentially launch satellite internet services in India. In an effort to make Earth’s increasingly congested orbital environment safer, the business intends to gradually lower the orbit of the whole constellation beginning next year.

SpaceX will start moving satellites that are now operating at an altitude of about 550 km to a lower orbit of roughly 480 km during 2026, according to Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering. Nicolls claims that putting satellites closer to Earth helps lower long-term dangers associated with space debris and unintentional collisions, which are becoming increasingly pressing issues.

Only a few weeks have passed since Starlink revealed a rare in-orbit event involving one of their satellites. According to the business, a satellite had an anomaly in December at an altitude of around 418 kilometers, causing a minor amount of debris and a total loss of connection with the spacecraft. According to reports, the satellite fell by almost four kilometers in a brief period of time, suggesting that an internal malfunction or explosion might have taken place. Even while these incidents are rare, they have raised awareness of the need for operators to carefully manage huge satellite fleets.

Nicolls provided an explanation for the orbital shift, stating that Starlink’s operational zone is effectively compressed by lowering the satellites. Compared to higher orbits, he pointed out that there are now fewer debris particles and fewer proposed satellite constellations in space below 500 kilometers.

As more governments and private businesses hurry to provide space-based services like internet, communications, and Earth observation, this consequently lowers the overall likelihood of collisions. The number of operational spacecraft in Earth’s orbit has increased dramatically in recent years. SpaceX is the world’s largest satellite operator, with approximately 10,000 spacecraft operated by Starlink alone. The corporation, which was first well-known for its rocket launches, has evolved into a major force in the worldwide internet market by providing individual users with Starlink.

As Starlink gets closer to offering services in India, the safety-focused decision becomes even more crucial. Recently, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that satellite communication services will be permitted in the nation as long as businesses fulfill security-related standards established by Indian authorities.

These include making sure sensitive data stays in India and that international gateways and data routing adhere to national security regulations. The minister went on to say that satcom businesses have already been given temporary spectrum to help them prove that they are in conformity with security agencies. He claims that businesses are currently working to fulfill these needs so that commercial services might become more feasible.