Technologies

Starlink Will Be Moving Thousands of Its Satellites for ‘Space Safety’ Reasons

Earth’s orbit is congested with satellites, making collisions and disruptions more and more likely.

Starlink said it will reduce the altitude of thousands of its internet-beaming satellites following a mishap with one and a near collision with others, a vivid reminder of how crowded — and dangerous — Earth’s orbit has become.

In a New Year’s Day post on X, Starlink engineering vice president Michael Nicholls said the company would begin «a significant reconfiguration of its satellite constellation» and lower the orbit of approximately 4,400 satellites, or nearly half its total of more than 9,000, from their current altitude of about 342 miles to about 298 miles.

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«Lowering the satellites results in condensing Starlink orbits, and will increase space safety in several ways,» Nicholls said, including by «reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision.»

A representative for Starlink did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

Satellite internet has become an increasingly attractive alternative to terrestrial options for broadband access such as cable, fiber and DSL, especially in rural areas. It is most closely identified with Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, but other providers include Hughesnet and Viasat. Those satellites are typically in low Earth orbit, in contrast with those like GPS satellites that are thousands of miles from the ground.

In early December, a Starlink satellite came within roughly 200 meters (656 feet) of a Chinese satellite Nicholls posted on X on Dec. 12. He said the Chinese satellite was one of nine deployed days earlier and blamed «lack of coordination between satellite operators,» citing negligence by the operators at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwestern China prior to the deployment of those nine satellites. «This needs to change,» he said in the post.

There are nearly 12,000 active satellites in orbit and thousands more that have stopped working. That number is expected to rise rapidly as SpaceX continues sending up Starlink satellites and as rival internet constellations get built out by projects such as Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) and China’s «Thousand Sails.»

Starlink’s announcement this week comes two weeks after one of its satellites «experienced an anomaly» and began «tumbling» toward Earth from its height of 260 miles. The company said the object will disintegrate when it hits the Earth’s atmosphere and also does not pose a danger to the International Space Station, which also flies in low Earth orbit.

In his X post this week, Nicholls also pointed to «solar minimum» as another reason to reduce the orbital altitude of its satellites. Solar minimum is the period of time when there is the least amount of solar activity — such as sunspots and solar flares — during the sun’s 11-year solar cycle. During this phase, satellites can last longer in space because there is less atmospheric density and thus less drag on the vehicle. But that also means more congestion for a longer span of time.

Nicholls said that the satellites’ «ballistic decay time» — that is, the time it takes a projectile to lose energy in its descent toward Earth — will decrease from 4-plus years to just a few months.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube

Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im

Technologies

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im