Industry
SpaceX burns up 260 Starlink satellites over six months, keeps 40,000-satellite ambition
SpaceX deorbited and disposed of 260 Starlink satellites by controlled re-entry from December 2025 to May 2026, an FCC filing showed. Of those, 176 were first-generation satellites and the rest were second-generation, while 349 satellites stopped operating and are due to be disposed of in coming days or months. Researchers have raised concerns about atmospheric impacts from burn-ups as U.S. regulators consider environmental review policies. SpaceX plans up to 42,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.
