SpaceX is dealing with yet another Starlink satellite malfunction. On March 29, Starlink satellite number 34343 experienced an anomaly and lost contact while orbiting roughly 560 kilometers above Earth. The satellite appears to have entered a so-called ”zombie state”-unable to receive commands or fire its ion thrusters, it is slowly descending under atmospheric drag.
This marks the second similar incident in just over three months. Back on December 17, Starlink satellite 35956 suffered a fuel tank leak, lost about 4 kilometers of orbital altitude, and generated a small cloud of trackable debris at approximately 418 kilometers. SpaceX called that event an ”anomaly” and said it was investigating, but no further details have been released since.
SpaceX insists the current issue poses no threat to the International Space Station (ISS), its crew, or NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission. The ISS orbits around 400 kilometers, well below the failing satellite’s altitude.
The risk of collision might only arise when the satellite finally deorbits, which could still be some time away. NASA, SpaceX, and the U.S. Space Force monitor the situation closely and can intervene if needed. Additionally, Starlink satellites are designed to burn up completely during reentry, reducing the risk of long-term space debris.
Still, the incident raises concerns given Starlink’s massive constellation of over 9,500 active satellites-accounting for about 65% of all operational satellites in orbit. The December malfunction sparked criticism over SpaceX’s transparency and the international communication around satellite failures. The root causes of both failures remain unclear.
Interestingly, just hours after the latest issue was reported, SpaceX launched 29 new Starlink satellites. This contrasts with the December case, after which the company paused launches for around two weeks.
SpaceX Starlink satellite failure and its impact on space operations
Starlink operates the world’s largest broadband satellite constellation, competing with projects like Amazon’s Kuiper and OneWeb. Unlike traditional satellites, which number in the hundreds or low thousands, the scale of Starlink demands constant vigilance on satellite health and debris management to avoid orbital congestion.
What remains to watch is whether SpaceX can maintain reliability and improve failure investigations as Starlink expands further. With thousands of satellites already aloft, any increase in anomalies or debris risks could complicate future operations and space traffic coordination.