KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — For the second time in just over three months, a SpaceX Starlink satellite has generated debris from an apparent on-orbit malfunction.
SpaceX confirmed March 30 that Starlink-34343 "experienced an anomaly" March 29, causing a loss of communications with the spacecraft. The satellite, launched in May 2025, was in orbit at an altitude of 560 kilometers.
Both SpaceX and LeoLabs downplayed the risk from the incident. SpaceX said that the debris posed no threat to the International Space Station or the upcoming Artemis 2 launch. The company proceeded with a Falcon 9 launch of the Transporter-16 mission early March 30.
