Starlink Satellites Illuminate the Night Sky as They Enter Earth's Atmosphere

Starlink Satellites and Their Amazing Journey

On Tuesday evening, between 21:27 and 21:30, a spectacular sky event mesmerized Switzerland. Initial speculations suggested a meteorite was responsible for the display. However, early Wednesday morning, the German Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) confirmed that a Starlink satellite had entered Earth's atmosphere, visible over Switzerland.

The Federal Military’s Space Situational Awareness Center provided this information to the BBK. Fabian Mathis from the Astronomical Society of Zürcher Unterland previously believed this spectacle could be debris re-entering the atmosphere. He mentioned, “I could not observe it myself, but the footage did not resemble a classic meteorite.”

What are Starlink Satellites?

• Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX aims to provide global internet coverage via thousands of satellites positioned in low Earth orbit.
• This project targets regions with limited or no internet connectivity.
• As of early July 2024, nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites were orbiting Earth, as reported by Statista.

Are There Dangers of Satellite Re-Entries?

Starlink satellites operate at altitudes of several hundred kilometers above the Earth's surface. They typically burn up upon re-entry at around 100 kilometers altitude.

However, Jose De Queiroz, founder of the Observatory in Falera GR, noted that debris from such events could reach the Earth's surface.

Additionally, Dutch satellite expert Ad Stoffelen warned that the growing number of Starlink antennas could negatively impact meteorological accuracy. In the future, areas with numerous Starlink installations might need to be excluded from specific weather measurements.