“The lifespan of an internet satellite is short, and predestined. Because of atmospheric drag and the debris that accumulates on a low-altitude satellite, the average lifespan of a single LEO satellite is approximately five years, after which it reenters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up into oblivion.
In order to maintain service, companies like Starlink will have to continuously replenish the constellation of internet satellites orbiting our planet indefinitely”
https://restofworld.org/2025/satellites-space-based-internet/