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Summary:
A SpaceX Starlink satellite narrowly avoided a collision with one of nine satellites launched by China’s CAS Space on a Kinetica 1 rocket. SpaceX VP Michael Nicolls criticized the lack of coordination and deconfliction by the other satellite operator, resulting in a close approach of only 200 meters. CAS Space responded that they followed standard launch procedures to avoid collisions with known satellites, but are investigating the incident. The near-miss highlights the growing problem of space congestion and the need for better coordination among satellite operators to prevent collisions and the creation of space debris.
News Article:
Starlink Satellite Narrowly Avoids Collision with Chinese Launch Payload, Sparking Space Safety Concerns
Space.com – December 13, 2023 – A SpaceX Starlink internet satellite narrowly averted a potential collision with a satellite launched on a Chinese Kinetica 1 rocket earlier this week, raising concerns about the increasing risk of operating in an increasingly crowded Earth orbit.
According to SpaceX, one of the nine satellites launched on Tuesday, December 9th, by CAS Space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center approached within 200 meters of Starlink-6079 at an altitude of 560 km.
“As far as we know, no coordination or deconfliction with existing satellites operating in space was performed,” Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX, stated on X (formerly Twitter). “Most of the risk of operating in space comes from the lack of coordination between satellite operators—this needs to change.”
The Kinetica 1 rocket, operated by Guangzhou-based CAS Space, carried six Chinese multifunctional satellites, an Earth-observation satellite for the UAE, a scientific satellite for Egypt, and an educational satellite for Nepal. It remains unclear which of these satellites was involved in the near-miss.
CAS Space responded to Nicolls’ post, asserting that they followed standard procedures to avoid collisions with known satellites using a ground-based space awareness system. “Our team is currently in contact for more details. All CAS Space launches select their launch windows using the ground-based space awareness system to avoid collisions with known satellites/debris. This is a mandatory procedure. We will work on identifying the exact details and provide assistance as the LSP,” the company stated.
They also added, “This calls for re-establishing collaborations between the two New Space ecosystems”.
The incident underscores the growing challenge of space traffic management as the number of satellites in orbit rapidly increases. In 2020, there were fewer than 3,400 functional satellites; that number has now ballooned to roughly 13,000, with SpaceX operating nearly 9,300 Starlink satellites alone.
Starlink satellites are equipped with autonomous collision avoidance systems, performing approximately 145,000 avoidance maneuvers in the first six months of 2023. However, these systems are dependent on accurate tracking data shared by other satellite operators. A lack of coordination or information sharing increases the risk of collisions.
Experts warn that even a single collision could trigger a cascade effect, known as the Kessler syndrome, where debris from the initial impact generates further collisions, making space operations increasingly hazardous. The near-miss involving the Starlink satellite highlights the urgent need for improved international cooperation and space traffic management protocols to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities.
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