Orbital Near-Miss: SpaceX and China Clash Over Close Encounter in Space
- Selambi Daniel
- il y a 2 jours
- 1 min de lecture
On December 12, 2025, a Starlink satellite and a Chinese CAS Space satellite narrowly avoided a catastrophic collision, passing within just 200 meters of each other. Experts warn this incident is a glaring symptom of an escalating "territory war" in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Key Points of Contention:
Lack of Transparency: SpaceX has accused CAS Space of failing to share critical orbital data. By operating "blind" at speeds of 28,000 km/h, the Chinese operator is being criticized for treating space like a lawless "Wild West."
Beijing’s Stance: Chinese officials have maintained that satellite operators are responsible for their own maneuvers post-launch, a policy SpaceX VP Michael Nicolls argues is unsustainable.
The Threat of Kessler Syndrome: A collision at 560 km altitude could have triggered a Kessler Syndrome event—a runaway chain reaction of debris.
Such a disaster would create a cloud of hypersonic shrapnel, potentially destroying global infrastructure, including:
GPS & Navigation
Weather Monitoring
Secure Military Communications
Manned Space Stations
Without standardized international "deconfliction" protocols, experts warn that the risk of making Earth's orbit unusable for decades remains dangerously high.
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