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SpaceX deployed its first batch of Starlink internet satellites in 2019, and since then has put more than 10,000 into low-Earth orbit . The satellites are part of a growing constellation that provides broadband internet to more than a million customers around the world. But eventually, each and every one of these satellites will fall back to Earth.

Orbital Radar recorded 445 Starlink reentries in 2026 between January 1 and October 22, while Spaceweather's tracking data counted 435 up until October 27, with the figures averaging around one or two reentries per day. Satellites are often deorbited by the operator when they reach the end of their operational lives, though they can also descend due to a malfunction or loss of power. During the high-speed reentry, the generated heat causes the spacecraft to break apart. Most of the material then burns up or vaporizes, with some particles and gases dispersing into the atmosphere.…