NASA reveals the reason why the entire Starlink satellite 'fleet' was crashed.

Shortly after launching 49 Starlink satellites, SpaceX was shocked when all of them fell out of orbit and caught fire. NASA has recently revealed the reason.

The "death" of 49 satellites 

On February 3, 2022, SpaceX launched a cluster of 49 Starlink satellites to an altitude of just 210km above the Earth's surface.

However, they didn't last long. Eventually, they all burned up and crashed to the ground. The loss of the Starlink satellites cost SpaceX millions of dollars.

A team of researchers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and The Catholic University of America has been closely examining the causes of this disaster.

Satellite image of Starlink - (Photo: AP).

Their analysis determined that a cloud of plasma from the Sun had impacted Earth's magnetosphere. This plasma cloud moved away from the Sun at a speed of approximately 690 km/s in the form of a shock magnetic cloud.

As this mass moved, satellites orbiting the Sun, including the STEREO-A astronomical observatory, were directly impacted by it.

According to the research team's explanation, when the Sun is active, it can cause a phenomenon called "space weather." At this time, a region called the 'thermis' heats up. This increases the density of the upper atmosphere for a short period of time and causes it to swell. 

Basically, a thicker atmosphere slows down everything moving through it, and also makes everything warmer. 

Facing atmospheric drag, the Starlink satellites fell out of orbit and burned up on their way down. 

SpaceX reportedly decided to launch the satellite despite warnings from space weather experts about the impact of a geomagnetic storm.

The threat from the Sun

The sun constantly sends streams of charged particles called solar wind into space. These streams vary in density, speed, and temperature.

Occasionally, the Sun also erupts masses of plasma in a phenomenon known as "corona magnification." Sometimes it also emits solar flares.

During periods of increased solar activity, plasma clouds can appear quite frequently.

If they impact Earth, depending on the magnitude, they could create spectacular auroras, disrupt commercial satellite operations, or cause power outages on the ground.

Currently, solar activity is increasing as it enters what is called a 'solar peak'. This means that communications and other satellites are at risk. The astronauts on the International Space Station are also at risk.

Not only in space, but power grids, communication lines, and other technologies on Earth are also at risk of being affected.

1. Why the human brain turns into glass after a volcanic disaster.
2. Cloud formation resembling a "stairway to heaven" attracts attention in Malaysia.
3. A scale of commonly found biological toxins in nature, with bacteria being the most toxic.