What has happened to hundreds of Elon Musk's satellites?


Some 200 Starlink satellites have disappeared from radar in recent weeks. — Photography Aleksandr Kukharskiy/Shutterstock/AFP Relaxnews

More than 200 satellites belonging to internet service provider Starlink strangely disappeared this summer; most likely due to electromagnetic storms. This demonstrates the fragility of a set-up that could have tens of thousands of units in orbit within a few years' time.

A total of 212 Starlink satellites went missing between July 18 and September 18, 2023, according to data from satellitemap.space. This data is based on public tracking information. This is not the first time that satellites have failed to show signs of life, but such a spike is unprecedented. SpaceX has yet to make a public statement on the disappearance. So what could have happened to them?

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