Change in the orbit of the Starlink constellation
The Starlink megaconstellation will operate at a lower orbital altitude. As of January 1, 2026, SpaceX has launched a total of 10,839 Starlink satellites. Of these, 9,395 remain active, while 8,157 are currently positioned on their designated operational orbits. Until now, Starlink satellites have typically operated at an altitude of around 550 kilometers.
On January 1, 2026, Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, announced a change to the constellation’s operational altitude. Instead of the current 550 km, Starlink satellites will transition to an orbit approximately 480 km above Earth. This adjustment will affect about 4,400 satellites and will be implemented gradually throughout 2026.
According to SpaceX, the decision is driven by the anticipated decline in solar activity, which leads to reduced density in the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, the natural orbital decay of satellites slows down. Lowering the operational altitude is expected to counteract this effect by accelerating the deorbiting process, reducing the time required for satellites to naturally reenter the atmosphere from more than four years to just a few months. SpaceX states that this change will enhance overall safety in near-Earth space by ensuring faster removal of non-operational satellites.
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