Scientists are alarmed: Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites crash to Earth daily

These warnings occur while EspaceXthe company behind Star linkcontinues to expand its presence in low earth orbit (LION). Experts are now questioning the long-term viability of this approach, as aging satellites are deliberately de-orbited – and not always without danger.

The current deployment of Star link satellites began in 2019, with the aim of creating a global satellite internet network. Since then, EspaceX has launched thousands of small satellites using its reusable rockets. The pace of deployment has only increased: more than 2,000 new satellites were launched in 2025 alone. But with the growing size of this network comes growing risks.

Many of these satellites are already reaching the end of their life cycles, resulting in a steady stream of controlled reentries. Although these are designed to burn safely in the atmosphere, researchers are beginning to question how safe and sustainable this actually is.

Satellites have a short lifespan and are already burning up

According to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatoryabout one or two Star link satellites fall from the sky every day. Talk to EarthSkyMcDowell said that figure is expected to rise as more satellites reach the end of their expected five-year lifespan. These satellites are brought back to Earth to disintegrate upon re-entry, but the sheer volume of daily descents is beginning to attract attention.

As McDowell explains, the problem is the short operational lifespan of Star link units. Unlike traditional satellites designed to last a decade or more, Star link satellites are relatively small and have limited autonomy. As a result, constant replacements are required to maintain the array, creating a cycle of launch and deorbit. Currently, more than 8,000 Star link satellites are active, and others are scheduled under competing projects such as Amazon Kuiperwhich plans to deploy more than 3,200 satellites.

Scientists fear atmospheric consequences

Although these satellites are designed to vaporize upon re-entry, researchers are concerned about byproducts released into the upper atmosphere. According to a study cited by Futurismburning these metal components could have unforeseen effects on the ozone layer. Released materials, particularly aluminum, can accumulate in the stratosphere and trigger chemical reactions with serious environmental consequences.

McDowell highlighted scientific uncertainty in an interview with The registerstating: “So far, the answers have ranged from “it’s too small to be a problem” to “we’re already screwed.”He added that the uncertainty is significant enough to warrant concern over long-term atmospheric damage. The cumulative impact of hundreds, if not thousands, of burning satellites each year is still poorly understood, but the risk is no longer considered negligible.

Falling debris could soon pose a real danger on Earth

Beyond pollution, there is also the problem of falling debris. A 2023 report from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) predicts that by 2035, up to 28,000 fragments from re-entering satellites could survive descent each year. This could increase the risk of someone being killed by satellite debris to 61% each year – a stark change from previous assessments that considered such events virtually impossible.

The majority of Star link the satellites are in low orbit, which helps them burn up completely. But if other operators are pushed to higher altitudes to avoid crowded orbital zones, their satellites could wait decades to return, increasing the risk of uncontrolled descents.

McDowell also reported the threat of Kessler syndrome— an uncontrolled cascade of collisions caused by overcrowded orbits — as the worst case scenario. Although Star link Satellites are unlikely to trigger such a chain reaction due to their low altitude; the proliferation of other constellations in higher orbits could bring this scenario closer.

There is also the added complication of solar activity. During periods of solar maximum, increased geomagnetic storms can destabilize satellite orbits. McDowell notes that these space weather events have already been linked to an increase in satellite failures and re-entries.