A recent near-miss incident involving satellites from China and SpaceX's Starlink constellation has sparked a heated exchange between the companies. Michael Nichols, Vice President of SpaceX's Starlink project, claimed on social media that one of China's recently launched satellites came within 200 meters of a Starlink satellite without prior coordination or collision avoidance measures.
The Chinese launch service provider, Zhongke Aerospace, swiftly countered these allegations. The company stated that all its missions utilize ground-based space situational awareness systems to select launch windows, ensuring avoidance of known satellites or debris—a mandatory procedure.
On December 10, Zhongke Aerospace successfully launched nine satellites into orbit using its Lijian-1 Y11 carrier rocket. The company clarified that if the close approach did occur, it happened nearly 48 hours after payload separation, long after the mission's completion.
This isn't the first collision scare involving Starlink. In 2021, SpaceX satellites twice approached China's space station, forcing emergency maneuvers to protect astronauts. Starlink's ambitious plan to deploy up to 42,000 satellites has raised concerns about space traffic management. Currently, over 6,750 Starlink satellites are operational.
Space expert Yu Guang explained that while Starlink's sheer numbers are concerning, the greater issue lies in their frequent orbital adjustments using electric propulsion systems. Reports indicate Starlink satellites executed over 140,000 collision avoidance maneuvers in six months—2.8 times more than the previous period—complicating collision predictions for other operators.
Starlink satellites' unique design contributes to the challenge. Their large solar arrays and flat configuration create high area-to-mass ratios, making them susceptible to atmospheric drag and requiring constant orbital maintenance. Additionally, maintaining uniform constellation distribution necessitates frequent maneuvers.
Yu emphasized that responsible space operators should share orbital data after maneuvers to prevent collisions. "When working satellites change orbits without notification, their new trajectories become unpredictable," he noted.
Nichols advocated for better coordination, inviting all operators to share ephemeris data via Starlink's space safety platform. Zhongke Aerospace responded by calling for renewed cooperation between emerging space ecosystems.
The incident highlights growing tensions in increasingly crowded orbital space and underscores the urgent need for improved space traffic management protocols among global operators.
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