Better Signal: 1,600 Starlink Satellites Move Into Lower Orbits

Starlink subscribers can expect lower latency and improved signal quality as the company moves 1,600 satellites into lower orbits. 

On Wednesday, astronomer and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell reported that a large collection of Starlink satellites has been descending, cutting the distance for the satellite beams to reach Earth. 

The satellites were previously orbiting the Earth at 550 kilometers (341 miles). But now McDowell says 652 of the satellites have been lowered to 480-kilometer orbits, while another 972 satellites “are currently on the way down,” he wrote. 

In response, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted back: “Tighter beams and better signal quality.”

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In January, the company revealed it was lowering all 4,400 Starlink satellites at the 550-kilometer range down to 480km orbits over the course of 2026. The main aim is to increase space safety and decrease the time it takes for a retired satellite to naturally deorbit and burn up in the atmosphere. “Correspondingly, the number of debris objects and planned satellite constellations is significantly lower below 500 km, reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision,” SpaceX executive Michael Nicolls tweeted at the time. 

Another benefit is that the lower orbits should reduce the latency for Starlink as well. Musk has long talked about reducing Starlink’s latency to under 20 milliseconds. In some parts of the US, the latency is already at 20ms, according to the company’s own data. 

(Credit: Starlink.com)

McDowell also told PCMag that some Starlink satellites are already in a lower 480-kilometer orbit, possibly starting in 2024. “Currently, there are 2,926 in the high orbit, 3,827 in the 480-ish km shell,” he said. 

One Starlink group launching and then lowering to a 480km orbit starting in spring of 2024. (Credit: McDowell )

Starlink satellites by orbit from 2023 to 2026. As you can see, satellites at the 480km range have been growing over each year. (Satellitemap.space)

In January, satellite industry analyst Tim Farrar noted a regulation from the International Telecommunications Union can let SpaceX deviate a satellite “by up to 70km from the notified altitude.” An FCC order from November 2022 also didn’t seem to object to the company orbiting second-generation Starlink satellites below 500km as part of an “orbital tolerance” request. 

Most recently, the FCC in January partially cleared a SpaceX plan to offer gigabit speeds through next-generation Starlink satellites, which have been allowed to orbit as low as 340km.

The company aims to launch these next-gen “V3” satellites late in Q4, though this depends on progress with the Starship rocket. In the meantime, McDowell’s data shows over 8,000 Starlink satellites in operational orbits. The remaining ones, at nearly 2,000 satellites, are facing retirement or moving into or out of operational orbits.

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About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Senior Reporter

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Experience

I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.

Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

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