SpaceX to deorbit hundreds of old Starlink satellites

Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to remove from orbit more than 100 obsolete Starlink internet satellites, TASS reports

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The company noted that these satellites ‘are currently manoeuvrable and serving users effectively’, however, experts found ‘a common issue in this small population of satellites that could increase the probability of failure in the future’. 

SpaceX also stated that the satellites will lower their orbits gradually and ‘the controlled lowering operation will take approximately six months’. 

It is specified that such a method is safer than ‘a ballistic deorbit’, as all vehicles will remain controllable and, thus, they will avoid collisions during descent.