Chinese Spacecraft Nearly Slammed Into Starlink Satellite, SpaceX Reveals

The latest near-miss in so-called “low Earth orbit” has jolted fresh frights into the battle over space traffic safety, after a Starlink satellite and a Chinese rocket stage came within 200 metres (650ft) of one another. The debacle concerned one of nine satellites put into orbit by a Chinese Kinetica 1 rocket earlier in the week, SpaceX mentioned. The close encounter took place at about 560km high and highlights the increasing risk that space debris poses as Earth's orbit becomes more congested. The company emphasized that satellite operator coordination in space operations is still the industry's single greatest threat.

Lack of Coordination Cited After Chinese Spacecraft's Close Pass Near Starlink Satellite

According to a SpaceX statement shared by Starlink engineering vice president Michael Nicolls, no prior coordination or deconfliction appears to have been carried out before the close approach. The spacecraft came within 200 meters of Starlink-6079 after payload separation; limited data sharing, Nicolls warned, increases collision risks.

China's Kinetica 1 rocket launched multinational satellites from Jiuquan; CAS Space stated it uses systems, reviews incidents, and coordinates if needed.

Rising Satellite Congestion Raises Collision Risks and Fears of Space Debris Cascade

The overcrowded nature of the Earth's orbit has made such events more likely. As of 2020, fewer than 3,400 operational satellites circled the planet. This total has ballooned to about 13,000 satellites with thousands more planned; SpaceX already has nearly 9,300 Starlink craft in orbit, a global lead.

While the Starlink satellites have managed to dodge potential collisions, with approximately 145,000 manoeuvres conducted by early 2025, experts have warned that even one crash could set off the Kessler syndrome.