SpaceX罕见披露：一卫星疑似“爆炸坠落”

Core Viewpoint - SpaceX's Starlink satellite experienced a malfunction, resulting in a loss of communication and the generation of a small amount of space debris [1][3]. Group 1: Incident Details - The malfunction occurred on December 17, with the satellite identified as number 35956, which experienced a propellant tank leak, causing its orbital semi-major axis to decrease by approximately 4 kilometers [3]. - The satellite is currently in a tumbling state and is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and completely burn up within a few weeks [3]. - SpaceX is coordinating with the U.S. Space Force and NASA to monitor the debris, although the specific number of debris pieces has not been disclosed [3]. Group 2: Potential Risks - The debris generated from the incident is not expected to pose a risk to the International Space Station (ISS) or its crew, as the satellite's current orbit is lower than that of the ISS [3]. - However, the debris may pose a collision risk to other operational satellites in orbit [3]. - LeoLabs has detected "dozens" of potential debris pieces resulting from this incident, with further analysis likely to reveal more [3].