It has been confirmed that SpaceX disposed of 260 Starlink satellites by re-entry into the atmosphere over six months from December 2025 to May 2026.

According to online media outlet Gigazine on July 6 (local time), the information was included in SpaceX's semiannual report on first- and second-generation Starlink submitted to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 1.

Of the 260 satellites disposed of, 176 were first-generation satellites and the rest were second-generation. Over the same period, 349 satellites also ceased operations. Those satellites are to be disposed of sequentially over the coming days or months. Starlink operates a constellation of more than 10,000 satellites and routinely deorbits multiple satellites.

SpaceX uses a method in which satellites that have reached the end of their life enter a controlled descent orbit timed to fuel depletion and are burned up completely in the atmosphere. First-generation satellites weigh about 260 to 295 kg, while second-generation satellites weigh about 800 to 1,250 kg. Recovery is technically difficult and costly, and for now the burn-up disposal method has effectively become the standard.

The method leaves almost no debris on the ground, but it has increased concerns about impacts in the atmosphere. Researchers are calling for additional studies and regulation. The FCC has so far excluded satellites from environmental review, and it has formally proposed a plan to treat satellite operations as an "extraterritorial activity" and exclude them from the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act. The proposal has not yet been approved.

An expansion plan for low Earth orbit was also confirmed. SpaceX plans to deploy up to 42,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit. In January it received approval for an additional deployment of 7,500 second-generation satellites. It also unveiled a plan for an orbital data center dubbed "A1" with 120 kW of computing performance and is building a "Gigasat" manufacturing facility with a total floor area of 11 million square feet to produce related satellites.

The report also included the status of collision-avoidance operations. SpaceX applies a standard to maneuver when the probability of collision exceeds 3 in 10,000,000. It said this is about 100 times stricter than 1 in 10,000, which is cited as an industry standard. Under the standard, first-generation satellites carried out 65,137 propulsion maneuvers during the reporting period and second-generation satellites carried out 142,015. Converted on a per-satellite basis, that is about 36 and 46 times a year.

There were also cases in which a satellite failed to leave orbit. The first-generation satellites "Starlink-34343" and "Starlink-36253" experienced issues suspected to be hardware failures. SpaceX identified the component that caused the problem and decided to exclude it from future designs. Two failures for the same reason were reported in the second-generation satellites as well, and it plans to respond by changing the design.

In the report, SpaceX demanded that other satellite operators disclose information at the same level. The company said, "Our efforts alone cannot maintain long-term sustainability in space," and argued that all operators must disclose satellite status, including operators providing services in the United States even if they are licensed outside the country. As Starlink's large-scale expansion, frequent disposals and collision-avoidance operations proceed simultaneously, discussion is expected to continue over transparency in satellite operations and the scope of environmental regulation.