Due to a geomagnetic storm caused by a recent solar outburst, 40 out of 49 newly launched Starlink satellites have been disabled and are currently reentering Earth's atmosphere to be burned up. This event underscores the risks that many companies face when launching thousands of small satellites into orbit to provide internet service from space. There is a possibility that future solar outbursts could also damage these orbital transmitters. The sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity, fluctuating between hyperactive and calm periods. Currently, the sun is increasing in activity and is expected to reach its peak around 2025. Despite being a relatively mild solar event, experts like Hugh Lewis predict that the next cycle will bring more extreme conditions, which could pose a greater threat to satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink. SpaceX has already announced the potential loss of 40 satellites due to the recent solar activity. The company explained that the satellites were successfully placed in their planned orbit approximately 130 miles above Earth to avoid future collisions with other satellites. If these satellites experience issues at that altitude and cannot be moved to a safer orbit, they would quickly disintegrate in the atmosphere, which serves as a safety precaution. However, before the satellite launch on Jan 29, a powerful solar eruption occurred, sending energetic particles and magnetism towards Earth, resulting in a geomagnetic storm in Earth's magnetic field 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. During a recent Starlink deployment, SpaceX noted that the storm significantly increased atmospheric drag, resulting in a higher number of satellites being pulled down by gravity and perishing. There are currently 1,915 Starlink satellites in orbit, so losing up to 40 is not a significant concern for SpaceX, according to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. However, this loss could amount to around $100 million in hardware costs. 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 storms from minor to extreme. The effects of these storms can include changes in atmospheric drag that may impact satellite orbits. Given these risks, it raises the question of whether SpaceX considered this hazard during the deployment of Starlink satellites. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, expressed her surprise at the situation, stating "I'm just kind of dumbfounded." McDowell also found it unexpected, commenting "It's a bit of a surprise." A SpaceX media representative mentioned that the team was unavailable to answer questions due to a demanding time. Despite the satellites quickly entering the atmosphere, they do not pose a threat to anyone on the ground. Lewis stated that the system functioned correctly in terms of safety, with the satellites de-orbiting without putting anything else at risk. Satellites at higher altitudes can avoid the dangers of atmospheric expansion, but those at lower altitudes are still at risk. This raises concerns about whether SpaceX can safely continue deploying spacecraft at lower altitudes. Lewis explained that as the sun becomes more active, it releases extreme ultraviolet light, which is absorbed into the atmosphere. This will cause the atmosphere to expand significantly, leading to a predicted increase in atmospheric density by one or two orders of magnitude. Many astronomers have expressed concerns about Starlink and other satellite constellations reflecting sunlight and potentially disrupting telescope research on Earth. Some view this incident as representative of SpaceX's approach to issues in low-Earth orbit, with a focus on fixing problems after they occur rather than preventing them beforehand. The destruction of these satellites serves as a tough lesson for SpaceX, according to Lewis. Lawler stated that what occurs next is in their hands, expressing his desire that this situation will help them see things more clearly.