Venturing Into Anomaly: Starlink’s Satellite 35956 In Focus

Vice-President of SpaceX’s Starlink, Michael Nicholls, shared a vivid photo of the Starlink satellite number 35956, famously involved in an “anomaly” a few days ago, on his X social network page. The spacecraft captured another satellite – Vantor WorldView-3. Photo: Vantor/Michael Nicholls.

“Images from Vantor’s WorldView-3 satellite acquired roughly a day post-anomaly depict satellite 35956 largely intact. The image with a resolution of 12 cm was snapped over Alaska from a distance of 241 km. We highly value Vantor’s prompt provision of these images. Additional data points to a small amount of trackable debris post-event, and we expect that the satellite and debris will re-enter the atmosphere and completely disintegrate within weeks,”

wrote Michael Nicholls.

Notably, the incident, as per the Starlink report, was attributed to an emergency release of argon from the satellite’s fuel tank, resulting in a loss of control, with the satellite turning into space debris. In response to the event, SpaceX suspended its Starlink satellite deployment pending an investigation into the circumstances.

Impact on SpaceX Satellite Operations

In light of this incident, industry experts emphasize the pressing need for robust satellite tracking and debris mitigation strategies. The swift reaction from companies like Vantor to share satellite imagery highlights the growing importance of collaboration in space safety and debris management. Space policy analysts suggest that recurring incidents could influence regulatory updates, propelling new frameworks for satellite operations in low Earth orbit.

Presently, Starlink has temporarily halted its satellite deployment in an effort to analyze the cause thoroughly. While the current phase of exploration addresses technical evaluations, prolonged pauses might impact their plans to enhance global internet coverage.