Image by Freepik
By Nexus Gani
An aurora constitutes the emission of light from upper atmospheric particles as they engage with energized particles originating from the magnetosphere
Image by Freepik
An aurora constitutes the emission of light from upper atmospheric particles as they engage with energized particles originating from the magnetosphere
Image by Freepik
However, on the day of the launch, an unforeseen event occurred. A coronal mass ejection, a powerful burst of plasma from the sun, struck Earth, leading to a geomagnetic storm in the atmospheric layer situated between 100 and 500 kilometers above the surface – the precise region targeted by the Starlink constellation.
Image by Freepik
This event injected a substantial amount of electromagnetic energy into the upper atmosphere, creating spectacular auroral displays while simultaneously increasing atmospheric density.
Image by Freepik
While a heightened air density is typically manageable for satellites operating in LEO due to the thin air at higher operational altitudes (around 400 kilometers or above), the initial Starlink satellites were placed at an altitude of 210 kilometers – much closer to Earth and consequently exposed to significantly denser air.
Image by Freepik
Image by Freepik
Image by Freepik