SpaceX announces plan to lower altitude of approximately 4,400 Starlink satellites in 2026 (euronews.com)

• SpaceX to lower 4,400 Starlink satellites from 550 km to 480 km in 2026
• Collision avoidance maneuvers rose 200% to 144,404 in six months
• ESA: 40,000 objects in LEO, 1.2 million debris pieces >1 cm

"SpaceX will lower about 4,400 Starlink satellites from 550 km to 480 km altitude in 2026 to reduce collision risks. The move follows a 200% increase in collision avoidance maneuvers over the past year and a December 2025 debris incident. The European Space Agency reports 40,000 objects in low Earth orbit."