At least 1,344 Starlink satellites have already fallen out of orbit and burned up, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell. The latest batch is large: SpaceX told the Federal Communications Commission that it deliberately brought down 260 satellites between December 2025 and May 2026.
Each one was steered back using its own propulsion. Once the spacecraft hit denser air, heat and friction tore it apart. SpaceX said nothing reached the ground.
Of the 260, 176 came from the first-generation network. The rest were second-generation. Another 349 satellites were pulled from service in the same six months and are due to be disposed of in the coming months. The previous reporting period, June to November 2025, saw 218 deorbits, so the new count is a slight increase.
Built to be replaced
Starlink now has more than 10,000 spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Most are designed to run for about five years before newer models with better bandwidth, power efficiency and communication capability replace them. When fuel runs low or systems age, a satellite is programmed to lower its altitude and re-enter.
SpaceX calls this routine fleet management. Bringing satellites back is not practical, the company says, because of their altitude, the cost and the size of the constellation. These days it takes down several satellites every day. Its filings suggest most retired satellites come down within months of receiving a final command.
The constellation keeps growing anyway. SpaceX has approvals for thousands more second-generation satellites and keeps launching new batches on Falcon 9 rockets. Long-term plans call for up to 42,000 satellites to support global broadband and services such as direct-to-mobile connectivity.
What the burn leaves behind
SpaceX says the satellites burn up completely. Researchers are asking about the material that never lands. Aluminium structures break down into fine particles such as aluminium oxide, which are released high in the atmosphere.
If thousands of satellites come down over the years, that material could change upper-atmosphere chemistry. Academic discussion has raised possible shifts in how sunlight is absorbed and possible effects on the ozone layer, though long-term impacts remain uncertain. The cumulative effect of constant burn-ups has not been fully studied at scale, and rival companies are expanding their own fleets.
The FCC proposal
The FCC has historically left space-based operations out of full environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, on the reasoning that orbital activity happens outside US territory. A new proposal under consideration would formalize that, classing such operations as extraterritorial activities with effects outside US jurisdiction.
If it is adopted, companies like SpaceX would not have to produce detailed environmental impact statements on upper-atmospheric effects before enlarging big fleets. Supporters say the change would streamline approvals and support rapid technological development. Critics say it risks overlooking environmental effects that fall beyond national borders but still touch the planet.
SpaceX is also developing larger, more capable satellites and has outlined orbital computing systems that would process data in space.
