Due to a geomagnetic storm caused by a recent solar outburst, 40 out of 49 newly launched Starlink satellites have become inoperable and are now reentering Earth's atmosphere to be destroyed. This event underscores the risks faced by companies intending to launch thousands of small satellites for internet service from space. There is a possibility that future solar outbursts could also disrupt these orbital transmitters, as the sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity levels. Currently, the sun is increasing in activity and is predicted to reach its peak around 2025. This recent solar event was considered mild compared to previous ones. Hugh Lewis, an expert on space debris, believes that a more intense solar event is likely to occur during the next cycle. If a relatively weak solar flare can damage 40 Starlink satellites, a stronger one could cause even more harm to SpaceX and other companies' satellite constellations. SpaceX has already announced the potential destruction of 40 of its satellites due to this solar activity. The company stated that once the satellites were launched, they were placed in their intended orbit approximately 130 miles above Earth in order to reduce the risk of future collisions with other satellites. If the satellites experience issues at this altitude and cannot be moved to a safer orbit, they are quickly absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere as a safety precaution. However, before the satellites were launched on Jan 29, a powerful coronal mass ejection from the sun sent energetic particles and magnetism towards Earth, resulting in a geomagnetic storm around Feb 2. The intense storm increased the kinetic energy of particles in Earth's atmosphere, causing it to expand and become denser. This increased drag on objects moving through the atmosphere, including satellites, causing their orbits to shrink and bringing them closer to the lower atmosphere where they burn up. SpaceX reported that during a recent Starlink deployment, the storm caused atmospheric drag to increase by up to 50% compared to previous launches, leading to the loss of 40 out of 49 satellites due to gravity. Currently, there are 1,915 Starlink satellites in orbit, so losing up to 40 is not a major concern for SpaceX, according to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. However, Lewis estimates that this loss could amount to up to $100 million in hardware costs. The dangers of solar outbursts and geomagnetic storms to objects in low-Earth orbit are well-documented, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration categorizing geomagnetic storms from minor to extreme. A recent "moderate" storm could potentially affect orbits by changing atmospheric drag. Given these risks, it raises the question of whether SpaceX considered this hazard during the Starlink deployment. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, expressed her surprise at the situation, stating that she was dumbfounded by the lack of preparation. McDowell also found it unexpected and believed that they should have been more prepared. When reached out to for comment via email, a SpaceX media representative mentioned that the team is currently occupied with other tasks. The fact that the satellites are entering the atmosphere quickly and not lingering in low-Earth orbit is seen as positive, and they do not pose any danger to people on the ground. Lewis stated that the system worked correctly in terms of safety, with the satellites de-orbiting without risking anything else. Satellites at higher altitudes are generally safe from atmospheric expansion risks, but those at lower altitudes still face dangers. This raises concerns about SpaceX's ability to continue deploying spacecraft at low altitudes. Lewis explained that as the sun becomes more active, it emits more extreme ultraviolet radiation that is absorbed into our atmosphere, causing it to expand significantly. This is expected to increase atmospheric density by one or two orders of magnitude. This event represents a much larger change than what was previously observed. Many astronomers have expressed criticism towards Starlink and other satellite constellations for potentially interfering with telescope research on Earth due to their reflection of sunlight. Some view this incident as indicative of SpaceX's approach to issues in low-Earth orbit - addressing failures and improving in the future rather than anticipating problems. The destruction of these satellites serves as a tough lesson for SpaceX, according to Lewis. Lawler suggested that the outcome is in their hands and expressed hope that this situation will help them see things more clearly.