We are running out of ‘Up’.
We used to think of Low Earth Orbit as an infinite void. Today, it looks more like a finite resource.
SpaceX has just initiated the largest orbital migration in history. They are dropping the operating altitude of thousands of Starlink satellites.
Why? Debris. Starshield. Physics.
At higher altitudes, a dead satellite stays in orbit for centuries, acting as a high-speed bullet for anything else up there. At lower altitudes (below 400km), atmospheric drag pulls a dead satellite into the atmosphere to burn up within a few years.
By lowering the fleet now, SpaceX is placing them in a ‘self-cleaning’ orbit. They are trading coverage efficiency for long-term sustainability. They are also staking a massive claim on the prime real estate of LEO before the regulators (and the competitors) catch up.
We are watching the transition from the ‘Wild West’ of space to the ‘Urban Planning’ of space.
