Due to a geomagnetic storm caused by a recent solar outburst, 40 out of 49 newly launched Starlink satellites have been disabled and are now falling back into Earth's atmosphere to be burned up. This event emphasizes the risks that many companies face when launching thousands of small satellites into orbit for internet service from space. There is a possibility that future solar outbursts could also disrupt these newly deployed satellites. The sun operates on an 11-year cycle, fluctuating between active and calm periods. Currently, the sun is increasing towards its peak, which is predicted to occur around 2025. This recent solar event was considered moderate compared to previous occurrences. Hugh Lewis, a space debris expert at the University of Southampton, believes that a more extreme event is likely to happen during the next solar cycle. If a mild solar flare can damage 40 Starlink satellites, a stronger solar event could cause even more harm to SpaceX and other company's megaconstellations. SpaceX has announced the potential loss of up to 40 satellites in a blog post. The company stated that following the launch, the satellites were released into their planned orbit, approximately 130 miles above Earth. This specific altitude was chosen partly to prevent potential collisions with other satellites in the future. If the satellites experience issues after being deployed at this altitude and are unable to move to more secure orbits, they will quickly be reclaimed by the atmosphere, which is considered a safety measure. However, before the launch of these satellites on Jan 29, a powerful eruption from the sun called a coronal mass ejection was detected, which arrived at Earth around Feb 2 and caused a geomagnetic storm in Earth's magnetic field. The intense storm added energy to particles in Earth's atmosphere, causing it to expand and increase in density. This increased drag on objects moving through the atmosphere, such as 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%, leading to the loss of 40 out of 49 satellites. Currently, there are 1,915 Starlink satellites orbiting in space, and losing up to 40 of them 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 the loss of these satellites could potentially cost up to $100 million, including the launch expenses. The risks of solar outbursts and geomagnetic storms affecting 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 recent "moderate" storm could cause changes in atmospheric drag that may impact satellite orbits. Given these risks, it raises the question of whether SpaceX considered these hazards during the deployment of Starlink satellites. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, expressed her surprise and confusion at the situation, while McDowell also found it unexpected. A SpaceX media representative mentioned that the team is busy and unable to answer questions. The satellites entering the atmosphere quickly instead of lingering in low-Earth orbit is seen as a positive development and does not pose a threat to people on the ground. Lewis stated that the system performed as expected in terms of safety, with the satellites de-orbiting without putting anything else at risk. Satellites at higher altitudes are generally safe from atmospheric expansion hazards, but those at lower altitudes remain vulnerable. This raises concerns about SpaceX's ability to continue deploying spacecraft at low altitudes. With the sun becoming more active and releasing more extreme ultraviolet radiation, the atmosphere will expand significantly, leading to an expected increase in atmospheric density by one or two orders of magnitude. The recent incident involving the destruction of Starlink satellites represents a significant change compared to previous events. Many astronomers have criticized satellite constellations like Starlink for potentially interfering with telescope research on Earth. Some view this incident as indicative of SpaceX's approach to problems in low-Earth orbit - fixing issues as they arise rather than taking preventative measures. The destruction of these satellites serves as a tough lesson for SpaceX, according to Lewis. Lawler stated that it is up to them to decide what happens next, and he expressed hope that this will make them see things more clearly.