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CodeInvasion@sh.itjust.works 1 year agoI am a satellite software engineer turned program manager. This is not unexpected in this current environment, however the conditions that created the environment are abnormal.
This solar cycle is much stronger than past cycles. I’m on mobile, so I can’t get a good screenshot, but you can go here to see this cycle and the last cycle, as well as an overlay of a normal cycle www.swpc.noaa.gov/…/solar-cycle-progression
As solar flux increases, the atmosphere expands considerably, causing more drag than predicted. During periods of solar minimum, satellites can remain in a very low orbit with minimal station keeping. However, at normal levels of solar maximum, 5 year orbits can easily degrade to 1 year orbits. Forecasters says we are still a year away from solar maximum, and flux is already higher than last cycle’s all time high (which was also an anomalously strong cycle). So it will get worse before it gets better.
TLDR: Satellites are falling out of the sky because the sun is angy