SpaceX has revealed a perilously close encounter in orbit, where one of its Starlink satellites came within 200 metres of a newly launched Chinese spacecraft. The near-miss, which occurred at an altitude of 560 kilometres, has reignited urgent warnings about the growing congestion in Earth's orbit and the critical lack of coordination between satellite operators.
A Dangerous Lack of Coordination
Michael Nicholls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, detailed the incident in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He stated that the close approach happened because the operator of the Chinese satellites, later identified as CAS Space, did not share trajectory data, known as ephemeris. This lack of shared information meant SpaceX could not perform a manoeuvre to steer its active Starlink satellite clear of the potential collision path.
"When satellite operators do not share ephemeris for their satellites, dangerously close approaches can occur in space," Nicholls wrote. He confirmed that, to SpaceX's knowledge, no prior coordination or deconfliction was attempted for the launch, leading directly to the 200-metre separation.
Conflicting Accounts and Calls for Collaboration
In response, CAS Space offered a different perspective. The Chinese firm did not accept direct responsibility, noting the incident was reported nearly 48 hours after its launch mission had concluded and payload separation had occurred. However, the company echoed SpaceX's fundamental concern, stating: "This calls for re-establishing collaborations between the two New Space ecosystems."
The exchange highlights a rare public dialogue between major commercial space competitors. Nicholls responded positively, saying, "We appreciate the responsiveness and look forward to engaging in coordination for future launches. Establishing data sharing between all satellite operators is critical." This public plea underscores a sector-wide recognition that current practices are unsustainable.
The Looming Threat of Kessler Syndrome
Space experts have long warned that such close calls are becoming more frequent due to the skyrocketing number of objects in low-Earth orbit. A collision, even between small satellites, could be catastrophic. It would generate thousands of pieces of high-speed debris, each capable of disabling other satellites.
This scenario risks triggering the so-called Kessler Syndrome, a catastrophic chain reaction where collisions create more debris, leading to further collisions. Such an event could potentially render entire orbital pathways unusable, threatening global communications, navigation, and scientific research, and making future space launches immensely hazardous.
The incident, involving satellites from two of the world's most prolific space-faring entities, serves as a stark reminder. As Nicholls concluded, "Most of the risk of operating in space comes from the lack of coordination between satellite operators - this needs to change." The narrow avoidance on Monday, 15 December 2025, may well be the warning shot that finally forces that change.
