Last week, a potential collision in space was averted as a newly deployed Chinese satellite came within a few hundred meters of a Starlink satellite in low Earth orbit. SpaceX attributed the close call to the lack of shared location data by the satellite operator. Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering, highlighted the risks of not coordinating satellite movements, citing a recent incident where a Chinese satellite came dangerously close to STARLINK-6079. While Starlink satellites can autonomously adjust their course to avoid collisions, knowledge of other objects’ locations is essential for this system to function effectively. In the first half of 2025, Starlink satellites made over 144,000 avoidance maneuvers.
The satellite in question was launched by CAS Space, which claimed to follow mandatory collision avoidance procedures during launch window selection. However, the incident occurred post-payload separation, leading CAS Space to distance itself from direct responsibility. Currently, over 24,000 objects, including satellites and debris, are being tracked in low Earth orbit, emphasizing the importance of accurate data sharing to prevent potential collisions in space.
Source: The Verge
Leave a Reply