A SpaceX executive says a satellite launched by a Chinese rocket was in danger of colliding with a Starlink satellite.
On Friday, Michael Nichols, the company’s VP for Starlink Engineering, tweeted about the incident and blamed a lack of coordination from Chinese launch provider CAS Space.
“When satellite operators do not share information for their satellites, space can get dangerously close,” he wrote, referring to the publication of predicted orbital positions for such satellites.
CAS Space on Wednesday reported the successful launch of nine satellites using its Kinetica-1/Lejian-1 rocket. The payload included six Chinese satellites, two others jointly developed for clients in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, along with a student-built satellite from Nepal.
But it seems that one of the satellites is relatively close to Starlink, which has been in service for more than two years. “As far as we know, no alignment or determination has been made with existing satellites operating in space, resulting in a close approach of 200 m (656 ft) between one of the deployed satellites and a close approach of Starlink-6079 (56120) at an altitude of 560 km,” Nichols wrote.
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“Much of the risk of operating in space comes from the lack of coordination between satellite operators. This needs to change,” he added.
Astronomer and satellite tracking expert Jonathan McDowell says the closest approach occurred at 1:42 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, citing U.S. Space Force tracking data.
“A quick analysis of Space Force’s public tracking data showed that this object was 67001,” he told PCMAG. “We don’t know which of the Legian 1 payloads is 67001.”
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For now, CAS Space told PCMag that it is in contact with Nichols for more information about the “alleged incident.” However, the company noted: “We value the responsible use and sharing of space as a top priority. Situations like these are why nations should work together in space, building a common understanding of emerging countries rather than isolating them.”
But it doesn’t appear that CAS has many details about exactly what happened. The company said: “As a launch service provider, our responsibility ends once our responsibility is over, which means we have no control over the maneuvers of the satellites. However, everyone has a common interest in avoiding collisions, so CAS Space will provide assistance however we can.”
The company added: “Our first priority is to identify the exact timeline of the incident. Which of the nine satellites was involved? Did the incident occur during the deployment of the satellite or during the orbital maneuver of one of the satellites? Once we have a clear picture, we will be in a better position to provide assistance to Starlink.” said the Chinese launch provider.
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Also, the company asserted that “CAS space launches have to go through a mandatory process to align our deployment sequence with the ground-based space awareness system to avoid any possible collision with known satellites/debris. Kinetica-1 Y11 was launched for 04:03:45. Deployment process.”
This is not the first time that Chinese space activities have raised alarm bells in the United States over potential risks of conflict. Last year, a different rocket carrying a satellite for the Chinese version of Starlink broke apart in space, leaving at least 300 pieces of debris.
According to astronomer and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, Nichols wrote the post when Starlink currently covers more than 9,300 satellites in Earth orbit. SpaceX’s satellite constellation has grown so large that it contains two-thirds of all satellites in low-Earth orbit.
Map of the Starlink satellite in orbit. (satellite map dot space)
To prevent potential collisions, SpaceX publishes its satellites’ positioning data while employing “StarLink Collision Avoidance Operators, who are available on a 24/7 schedule. The company’s StarLink satellites are also assisted, enabling them to maneuver in space, including dodging debris from Russia’s anti-satellite missile test in 2022.”
Nevertheless, the growing number of satellites has fueled concerns about “Kessler syndrome”, or where a single satellite collision can trigger a self-sustaining chain reaction of effects as some orbits become increasingly crowded.
About our expert
Michael Kahn
Senior reporter
Experience
I have been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite Internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware and more. I am currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s StarLink satellite Internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also regulatory battles over expanding satellite constellations, battles with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and efforts to expand satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and reached out to remote corners of California to test StarLink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling its personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint Investigation Along with the motherboard
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. Now I’m following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump into the comments with feedback and send me pointers.
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