Musk faces criticism. China’s space station almost collided with its satellites – SME.sk

BRATISLAVA. Businessman and inventor Elon Musk faces criticism on social media following a complaint by China whose space station had to avoid a collision with its company’s Starlink internet satellites SpaceX.

According to Beijing, the Chinese space station had two “close encounters” with Starlink satellites this year.

China complained to them at the United Nations Office for Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The incidents have not yet been independently verified, states the BBC.

According to a document submitted by China to UNOOSA this month, the incidents took place on 1 July and 21 October.

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“For security reasons, the Chinese space station has put in place a precautionary collision prevention check,” Beijing said in a document released on the office’s website.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.

Following the publication of the complaint, a wave of criticism arose on Muska, who is well known in China thanks to his carmaker Tesla, Starlink and the United States, on the Chinese microblogging network Weibo.

The satellite network there has earned a comparison to space debris or American weapons.

China has also accused the US of threatening astronauts by ignoring obligations under space agreements. A Chinese State Department spokesman said China was calling on the United States to act responsibly.

Scientists warn of the risks of collisions in space and call on governments around the world to share information about about 30,000 satellites and space debris in Earth orbit. SpaceX has launched almost 1,900 Starlink satellites into orbit and plans to launch thousands more.