SpaceX’s Starlink has raised fresh concerns about the growing risks of operating in low-Earth orbit (LEO) after a recently launched Chinese satellite reportedly came within just 200 meters of an active Starlink spacecraft. Michael Nicolls, Starlink’s Vice President of Engineering, said the incident underscores a critical lack of coordination among satellite operators a problem he warned must be addressed urgently.
According to Nicolls, the close approach involved a newly deployed satellite launched by CAS Space from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The encounter occurred only days after nine satellites were released into orbit at an altitude of roughly 560 kilometers, placing them directly within one of the most congested orbital bands used by commercial satellite constellations.
Nicolls stated that “most of the risk of operating in space comes from the lack of coordination between satellite operators,” emphasizing that no prior coordination or deconfliction efforts were made with Starlink before the satellites were deployed. He pointed specifically to the failure to share ephemeris data highly precise orbital information used to predict satellite trajectories and avoid collisions.
The lack of shared ephemeris data significantly increases the risk of dangerously close approaches, particularly in LEO, where thousands of satellites from companies such as SpaceX, Amazon, and OneWeb already operate. Without transparent data exchange, operators may not have sufficient warning to perform timely avoidance maneuvers, raising the likelihood of accidental collisions.
This incident highlights a broader challenge facing the global space industry: orbital congestion. LEO is becoming increasingly crowded as nations and private companies race to deploy broadband constellations, Earth observation platforms, and scientific missions. Tens of thousands of active satellites, combined with decades of accumulated space debris, have turned orbital traffic management into a pressing safety concern.
Experts warn that collisions at orbital velocities could create massive debris clouds capable of damaging or destroying other satellites. Such cascading collisions, known as the Kessler syndrome, could render certain orbits unusable for decades, threatening communications, navigation, and climate-monitoring systems that modern society increasingly relies on.
Starlink’s warning adds momentum to calls for international standards governing satellite coordination, data sharing, and traffic management. As LEO becomes more crowded, industry leaders argue that voluntary cooperation is no longer sufficient.
The close encounter between Starlink-6079 and the Chinese satellite serves as a stark reminder that space is a shared domain and without improved coordination and transparency, the risks of operating in orbit will only continue to grow.
