In an unusual move in space relations, China turned to NASA to warn the US space agency about the possibility of a collision between two satellites. This was announced by a representative on space sustainability at the International Aeronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia. According to him, this is the first official warning of its kind, Space.com reported.
Historically, US-China relations in space have remained tense. In 2011, the US administration effectively banned China from flying to the International Space Station, and NASA officials criticized Beijing for a lack of transparency regarding rocket reentry.
New openness in space cooperation
Previously, when satellites approached each other, the US side often sent signals with the following spirit:
“We realize there may be a collision, stay still and we will move around.”
Alvin Drew, NASA's director of space sustainability, noted:
“Yesterday, we celebrated a bit because for the first time the China National Space Administration (CNSA) independently notified us of our vehicles' approach. We invited them to stay put while we performed the maneuver ourselves. And for once it was successful.”
China appears to be gradually moving towards a more transparent communication model in space, which is important as the number of satellites in low Earth orbit increases rapidly. America is leading in space, largely thanks to SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. China is developing its own large constellations Guowang and Thousand Sails, seeking to compete with American infrastructure.
The threat is growing and requires coordination
As the number of vehicles increases, the likelihood of an accidental collision also increases. Thus, Starlink satellites had to perform 50,000 operations from 2019 to 2023 to prevent accidents. According to experts, by 2028, about a million such operations may have to be performed every six months.
If two satellites collide, it will create an effect called Kessler syndrome. The resulting debris could form hundreds or thousands of pieces of space debris, creating a mass threat to other objects. This situation can be compared to a game of cosmic dominoes, where each fragment becomes a potential danger to the next satellite, similar to scenes in the movie Gravity.
Limitations in cooperation and political context
While CNSA's call appears to be a positive step, it does not remove political constraints. Interactions between China and NASA are regulated by the Wolf Amendment, passed into US law in 2011. The restrictions relate to national security, technology transfer and espionage risks.
US Congress requests release of photos “may contain UFOs”
This rare situation shows that even in complex international relationships, cooperation is possible when it comes to satellite safety and the sustainability of outer space.
