Solar storm could cripple Starlink satellites, trigger orbital chaos

Researchers warn that the rapidly growing network of satellites, particularly mega-constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, is increasingly vulnerable to extreme space weather events such as solar storms. These storms heat Earth’s atmosphere, increasing drag on satellites and forcing them to use more fuel for orbit maintenance and collision avoidance. A recent solar event in May 2024 caused over half of low Earth orbit satellites to expend fuel repositioning. This heightened activity, combined with the risk of solar storms damaging satellite communication and navigation systems, raises the likelihood of a catastrophic chain reaction known as Kessler Syndrome, where collisions generate debris that triggers further collisions, potentially rendering space unusable. The problem is exacerbated by the sheer number of collision avoidance maneuvers required; SpaceX’s Starlink satellites performed 50,000 such maneuvers over four years, and projections suggest this could reach about a million every six months by 2028. To quantify the risk, Princeton researchers introduced the Collision Realization and Significant Harm