A second Starlink satellite exploded in orbit
Comments
bombcar
dragonwriter
A “fragment creation event” that was “likely caused by an internal energetic source”.
user____name
And "surrounded by too much hot air."
porphyra
Fortunately,
> Due to the low altitude of the event, fragments from this anomaly will likely de-orbit within a few weeks.
aaron695
[dead]
manoDev
Second? When was the first?
Is this an instance of weaponization of the LEO? No statement from SpaceX?
dragonwriter
> When was the first?
17 December 2025, per the thread.
heyitsmedotjayb
Do they have pressurized gas/liquid onboard that could explode or is this most likely a collision?
wmf
They have argon gas for the ion thrusters that adjust the orbits.
verdverm
If it were a collision, it would be far more noteworthy and likely in the title
heyitsmedotjayb
why would it be more noteworthy?
verdverm
It would involve a failure in coordination, observation, or management of orbits. These things make adjustments more often than people realize (aiui)
cozzyd
Tubes must have gotten clogged
metalman
if, just saying, someone had a huge fucking laser and wanted something to plink away at, and happened to look up at night, most anywhere on the planet, ran the numbers and figured the odds, and well elo's stuff does blow up regularly
DarmokJalad1701
> and well elo's stuff does blow up regularly
[citations needed]
NetMageSCW
Really? How many Starlink satellites have blown up? How many F9 second stages?
altairprime
There are a lot of better ways to present your point; for example:
How many batteries supplied with Elon Musk’s companies’ products have encountered an unplanned combustion event after light or no damage?
Does SpaceX use in-house or third-party batteries in their satellites?
Is their explosion rate of 2(?) per N, where N is the number of unexploded SpaceX satellites, plausibly still within the statistical ranges defined by non-SpaceX satellites given the data available to us?
Did the satellite deflect before it exploded or are the shard trajectories consistent with a zero-impact scenario?
etc.
vrighter
hate to be pedantic, but for 2 out of N, n would have to be the sum of all satellites including the exploded ones
altairprime
You’re probably right but the question isn’t mine in the first place; look up some data and you’re set to discuss with OP. I was constructing communication examples, not mathematically-correct ones. Guess I did well enough at that!
Filing “fragment creation event” alongside “rapid unintended disassembly”.