A Starlink satellite has apparently come apart in space, according to a social media post from SpaceX. The incident happened on Sunday, when satellite 34343 experienced what the company called «an anomaly on-orbit» about 560 kilometers above Earth.
A representative for SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The company said the breakup poses no danger to the International Space Station or upcoming space missions and that SpaceX will monitor the remains and «trackable debris.» The company said in the post, «The SpaceX and Starlink teams are actively working to determine root cause and will rapidly implement any necessary corrective actions.»
On Sunday, March 29, Starlink satellite 34343 experienced an anomaly on-orbit, resulting in loss of communications with the satellite at ~560 km above Earth.
Latest analysis shows the event poses no new risk to the @Space_Station, its crew, or to the upcoming launch of NASA’s…— Starlink (@Starlink) March 30, 2026
The satellite incident comes three months after SpaceX announced it was repositioning thousands of Starlink satellites to avoid orbital overcrowding. That involved lowering the orbit of thousands of its satellites to ensure they would burn up more quickly in Earth’s atmosphere.
In December, Starlink experienced the loss of another satellite, which it also called an anomaly, and a near-miss with a Chinese satellite.
According to Scientific American, SpaceX has more than 10,000 active Starlink satellites in orbit, accounting for about two-thirds of all satellites in orbit. The company has ambitious plans to continue expanding its internet service offerings and is also working to put data centers in space. It acquired Elon Musk’s xAI with that goal in mind.
Competition among satellite companies has been heating up. A rival, Amazon Leo, just signed a deal to provide in-flight internet service to Delta flights. And Russia is spending billions to begin deploying its own satellites. Starlink is expected to go public to raise about $75 billion.
The event occurred just over a day before NASA’s planned launch of Artemis II, scheduled for 6:24 p.m. ET on April 1. The Artemis program is NASA’s long-term effort to return humans to the moon and eventually establish a more sustained presence there for the first time since the Apollo program. Artemis II won’t include humans landing on the moon, though a later Artemis mission will.
