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Megaconstellations' End-of-Life Reentries Create Uncertain Casualty and Environmental Risks

Operators plan thousands of satellites to deorbit at end of life to limit orbital debris, but recent analyses and a Harvard Salata Institute release warn design‑for‑demise outcomes are uncertain. Partial burn‑up can leave surviving fragments and atmospheric deposits, creating ground casualty and environmental risks as constellations scale.

2026-02-05T17:09:17.509662-08:00