SpaceX has confirmed in a semi-annual report submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) earlier this month that it disposed of 260 Starlink satellites between December 2025 and May 2026, intentionally vaporizing them via re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. According to the report, 176 of these satellites belonged to the first-generation Starlink constellation, with the rest belonging to the second generation. An additional 349 satellites were decommissioned within that 6-month period and will be disposed of in the coming months.
SpaceX’s Starlink operates a huge constellation of over 10,000 satellites as of the time of this report, even as the company plans for Starlink Mobile, which will provide satellite internet directly to mobile phones. However, each of these satellites has a lifespan of about 5 years, a somewhat intentional setup to allow swapping for newer versions, after which their fuel depletes. When this happens, the satellite is programmed to use its remaining fuel to perform a controlled de-orbit. It lowers its altitude and plunges into Earth's atmosphere, where extreme friction completely incinerates 100% of the spacecraft.
