Close Encounter in Space: Starlink and Chinese Satellites

A potential disaster in the cosmos was narrowly avoided recently when a new Chinese satellite came extremely close—just a few hundred meters—to one of SpaceX's approximately 9,000 Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth.

SpaceX has criticized the satellite's operator, attributing the scare to the lack of location data sharing. Michael Nicolls, Starlink's Vice President of Engineering, emphasized the dangers posed when satellite operators withhold orbital data. Without such information, tightly packed satellite paths can lead to hazardous situations.

Nicolls noted that a short time ago, a group of nine satellites was launched from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Regrettably, according to SpaceX's knowledge, no preemptive measures or coordination were undertaken to avoid existing satellites, causing a near-collision with STARLINK-6079 at an altitude of 560 kilometers.

Starlink's satellites are equipped with systems that enable them to maneuver and avoid obstacles. However, this avoidance mechanism requires knowledge of potential obstacles beforehand.

Mysterious Satellite Movements

The latest satellite was launched by a commercial space entity based in Guangzhou, China, called CAS Space. Despite assurances that their launches adhere to rigorous space awareness protocols, including selecting launch windows to steer clear of known satellites and debris, the near-miss has brought this into question.

CAS Space stated that its missions rely on ground-based tracking systems and contended that the incident occurred significantly after the mission's conclusion.

Orbits Overcrowding: A Growing Concern

Across low Earth orbit, more than 24,000 objects, including satellites and space debris, are currently tracked. This marks a stark 76% increase since 2019. Projections suggest this number may swell, reaching up to 70,000 satellites by decade's end, as both private and government agencies in the US, China, and Europe continue to launch more.

Implications of a Near-Miss

The close call has ignited fears of the Kessler syndrome, a theoretical scenario where the cascading effect of colliding satellites could render low Earth orbit unusable. The space community is now on high alert to prevent such a scenario.