Due to a geomagnetic storm caused by a recent solar outburst, 40 out of 49 newly launched Starlink satellites have been disabled and are descending into Earth's atmosphere to be destroyed. This event emphasizes the risks faced by companies looking to deploy thousands of small satellites for internet service from space. There is a possibility that future solar outbursts could also disrupt these orbital transmitters. The sun operates on an 11-year cycle of activity. At the moment, solar activity is increasing towards its peak, expected around 2025. The recent solar event was considered mild compared to past occurrences. Hugh Lewis, a space debris expert, believes that a more intense event is likely during the next solar cycle. If a minor solar flare can disrupt 40 Starlink satellites in low orbit, a stronger solar event could cause even more damage to SpaceX and other company's megaconstellations. SpaceX recently announced the potential loss of up to 40 satellites due to the solar activity. The company stated that the satellites were released to their intended orbit, which is approximately 130 miles above Earth, to avoid potential collisions with other satellites in the future. If the satellites encounter malfunctions at this altitude and cannot raise their orbits to safer heights, the atmosphere quickly disposes of the failed technology. This safety measure was mentioned by Lewis. However, before the launch of these satellites on Jan 29, a powerful eruption from the sun called a coronal mass ejection, which contains highly energetic particles and magnetism, was observed. This ejection reached Earth around Feb 2, causing a geomagnetic storm in Earth's magnetic field. 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, such as satellites, resulting in their orbits shrinking and bringing them closer to the lower atmosphere where they would 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 eventual loss of 40 out of 49 satellites due to gravitational forces. Currently, there are 1,915 Starlink satellites orbiting in space. According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, losing up to 40 of these satellites is not a major concern for SpaceX. However, aerospace engineer Lewis estimates the potential hardware loss to be around $100 million, taking into account the cost of the launch. The risks of solar outbursts and geomagnetic storms damaging objects in low-Earth orbit are well-documented, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration categorizing geomagnetic storms on a scale from minor to extreme. The agency notes that even a moderate storm can lead to changes in atmospheric drag, potentially altering orbits. Given these risks, the question arises as to whether SpaceX considered this hazard during the deployment of the Starlink satellites. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, expressed her disbelief, saying "I'm just kind of dumbfounded." McDowell also found it surprising, stating "Really? They did not think of this?" When reached via email, a SpaceX spokesperson explained that the team was unavailable to answer questions due to the demanding nature of the situation. The fact that the satellites are quickly entering the atmosphere, rather than staying in low-Earth orbit, is actually a positive development and does not pose any danger to people on the ground. Lewis stated that the system operated as intended in terms of safety, with the satellites de-orbiting without putting anything else at risk. While most satellites orbit at higher altitudes and are not affected by atmospheric expansion hazards, those at lower altitudes remain vulnerable. 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, which is absorbed into the atmosphere, causing it to expand significantly. This is expected to increase atmospheric density by one or two orders of magnitude. Many astronomers have expressed concerns about the impact of satellite constellations like Starlink on telescope research, noting that they reflect sunlight and could disrupt observations. Some view the recent incident involving the destruction of two Starlink satellites as indicative of SpaceX's approach to issues in low-Earth orbit - fixing problems after they occur rather than proactively addressing them. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell described the incident as a significant change compared to previous events, highlighting the need for SpaceX to learn from this experience. Lawler stated that the outcome depends on them and expressed his wish that this would bring some understanding to them.