IN BRIEF: SpaceX regularly retires Starlink satellites as it upgrades the network, and new FCC filings show how often it happens. A report submitted to the commission earlier this month states that the company deorbited 260 satellites between December 2025 and May 2026. Most of those – 176 – were first-generation units, with the rest from the newer generation. Another 349 satellites were decommissioned in that six-month stretch and are slated for disposal in the near future.
The process is deliberate. Starlink satellites are designed to have a lifespan of about five years and are then replaced with newer models. When a satellite reaches the end of its life and runs low on fuel, it uses what remains to lower its orbit and re-enter the atmosphere. The spacecraft is designed to burn up completely during re-entry.
That turnover is now part of day-to-day operations. Starlink now has more than 10,000 satellites, and keeping the network running requires constantly removing older ones from orbit. In the six months from December 2024 to May 2025, the company removed 472 satellites.
Bringing those satellites back to Earth isn't realistic. First-generation units weigh between 573 and 650 pounds, while second-generation units weigh 1,764 to 2,756 pounds. Recovering them would be both technically difficult and expensive, so SpaceX relies on controlled re-entry instead.
