These travel down into the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Researchers from the University of Southern California found that these oxides have increased eightfold from 2016 to 2022.
Of the roughly 8,100 objects in low Earth orbit, more than 6,000 are Starlinks.
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These satellites are designed to last about five years.
A 550-pound satellite will release about 66 pounds of aluminum oxide nanoparticles during reentry.
Starlinks satellites have grown heavier over time, with the latest version weighing in at about 2,760 pounds.
We projected a yearly excess of more than 640% over the natural level.
Based on that projection, we are very worried.
The environmental impacts from the reentry of satellites are currently poorly understood, the study states.
Starlinks main competitor, Amazons Project Kuiper, plans to launch3,232 satellitesin the coming years.
An article published in Nature determined that 100,000 satellites in the sky is not just feasible but quite likely.
Starlink didn’t respond to CNET’s request for comment.
