Another day, another SpaceX/Starlink explosion. Starlink reported on X/Twitter that "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 Artemis II mission. We will continue to monitor the satellite along with any trackable debris and coordinate with @NASA
and the @USSpaceForce."
LeoLabs, which tracks satellites and space debris in low Earth orbit, reported that it "detected a fragment creation event involving SpaceX Starlink 34343 on 29 March 2026" on X/Twitter. An image shared by the company depicted 17 separate pieces of debris. The company's Live Orbital Activity looks like it came right out of Wall-E, especially when satellites and debris are included.
The fragments of Starlink satellite 34343 will join the tens of thousands of pieces of orbital debris that other satellites and the International Space Station constantly dodge. There are over ten thousand Starlink satellites currently in orbit, dozens more launching every week. A similar incident occurred in December, although the company was a little more transparent about the fact that the satellite was in pieces.
