SpaceX says a satellite deployed from a Chinese launcher came close to a Starlink satellite, raising concerns about space traffic management. SpaceX’s VP of Starlink engineering, Michael Nicolls, shared on Friday that one of the CAS Space-launched satellites nearly collided with Starlink-6079, underscoring that no ephemeris sharing or deconfliction apparently occurred between the industry players. He noted that when operators do not publish predicted orbital positions, risky approaches can happen in space.
CAS Space announced it successfully launched nine satellites with its Kinetica-1/Lijian-1 rocket, including six Chinese satellites and two client satellites from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, plus a Nepalese student-built unit. Nicolls tweeted that the near-miss happened at about 560 kilometers altitude and a distance of roughly 200 meters, during a period when there was no coordination with existing satellites.
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell cited US Space Force tracking data indicating the close approach occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean around 1:42 am EST on December 12, adding that it involved an object labeled 67001, though the exact Lijian-1 payload remains unidentified.
CAS Space told PCMag it is in contact with Nicolls to understand the alleged incident and stressed a commitment to responsible space use and international cooperation. The company explained that its deployment phase is its responsibility, and it does not control the satellites’ maneuvers post-deployment. CAS Space pledged to help as needed once it has a clearer timeline of events, including which of the nine satellites were involved and whether the risk occurred during deployment or subsequent orbit adjustments.
According to CAS Space, all launches undergo a mandatory process to align deployment with ground-based space awareness systems to avoid collisions with known satellites and debris. The company asserted that the Kinetica-1 Y11 mission targeted a sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km, with the satellite separations reported as nominal and without any reported deployment collision risks.
This incident adds to ongoing tensions around space traffic management, especially as SpaceX’s Starlink constellation has expanded to over 9,300 satellites, representing a substantial portion of objects tracked in low-Earth orbit. SpaceX maintains its own orbital data and operates collision-avoidance protocols around the clock, with maneuvering capabilities to dodge debris and other hazards. The broader concern persists about potential cascading collisions in crowded orbits—the so-called Kessler syndrome—and the need for greater international cooperation to prevent such events.
Expert context: Space researchers emphasize that as satellite numbers grow, transparency and shared ephemeris data become crucial to prevent near-misses. Proponents of broader collaboration argue for standardized reporting and joint safety protocols across nations and companies to reduce collision risk and protect orbital infrastructure.
What do you think should be the priority in addressing these near-misses: stronger voluntary coordination, mandatory global standards, or a centralized space traffic management authority? Share your thoughts in the comments.
