SpaceX claims its Starlink satellites will not collide with NASA missions or other space objects. It also revealed that it is developing an advanced collision avoidance system.
NASA raised concerns about Elon Musk’s ambitious proposal to deploy 30,000 satellites in the second generation of its orbital Internet service.
SpaceX had previously been authorized for approximately 12,000 satellites. It has launched 2,000 satellites so far, but SpaceX wants to increase its number to improve coverage.
NASA stated that putting so many satellites in orbit could ‘impact science and human-spaceflight missions’. It could cause a significant increase in collisions, warns NASA.
SpaceX stated in a Statement: “Our satellites use multiple strategies for preventing debris generation in space,” suggesting that they would not collide or cause damage to other objects.
They are also ‘designed to die’ and include controlled de-orbit to low altitudes at the end of their lives, low orbit insertion when going into space, onboard collision avoid systems, and a low profile chassis that protects key components.
According to the firm, it is investing substantial resources to ensure that launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft meet or exceed safety regulations. It is also developing a state of the art collision detection system to provide alerts.
SpaceX says its Starlink satellites do not have the potential to collide with NASA missions or any other space objects. The company is also building an advanced collision avoidance technology
NASA expressed concern about SpaceX’s ambitious proposal for deploying 30,000 satellites to provide an orbital internet service. This image shows all satellites that orbit the Earth at the moment.
SpaceX has been criticised for its massive constellation of satellites since its launch. This was primarily due to astronomers concerned about how the constellations of bright objects in low-orbit have on night sky observations.
SpaceX’s attempts to dominate low-Earth orbit have been criticized by several operators, including Amazon Kuiper.
SpaceX has updated its website in response to recent concerns by NASA regarding the impact of Starlink satellites.
“NASA has concerns about the potential for an increase in the frequency of conjunctions and possible impacts NASA’s scientific and human spaceflight mission missions,” the agency stated to the Federal Communications Commission.
NASA reported that there are currently 25,000 objects being tracked on-orbit. Approximately 6,100 of them are below 370 meters.
NASA stated that SpaceX’s second generation (Gen2) expansion would’more than double the number tracked objects in orbit and increase number below 600km over fivefold,’ NASA said.
SpaceX recently updated to address concerns from NASA, and other organizations. SpaceX claims that it was founded to “revolutionize space technology towards becoming life multiplanetary,” something Musk has repeatedly stated before.
SpaceX is a major launch provider to other satellite operators and can deliver astronauts from the ISS. However, it also has its own satellite constellation, Starlink.
“SpaceX has shown this commitment to safety by action, investing significant resources in ensuring that all our launch vehicles and spacecraft meet or exceed space safety regulations, best practices,’ the firm stated.
There are many opinions, especially when it comes spacecraft safety.
Jonathan McDowell, at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has also echoed NASA’s concerns. He is also part of the American Astronomical Society panel that examines the impact of satellites on astronomy.
‘We’ve been concerned with having these large numbers of satellites that interfere with astronomical observations,’McDowell said.
“I think we need to get more experience with the many thousand satellites that are currently in operation before we can scale up to the tens or thousands.”
SpaceX claims that it has already proven its worth by building highly reliable, maneuverable satellites and demonstrating reliability of more than 99%.
SpaceX has been criticized for its mega-constellation satellites since its first launch. This is primarily because astronomers are concerned about the impact these constellations of bright objects in lower orbit have on observations.
SpaceX’s attempt to dominate low Earth orbit has been criticized by other operators, such as Amazon’s Kuiper.
It stated that SpaceX transparently and continually shares details of its Starlink network with governments and other satellite operators.
“We strive to ensure that accurate, relevant, up-to-date and current information regarding space safety and space situational awareness is shared among all operators.
“SpaceX shares high-fidelity future velocity and position prediction data (ephemerides), for all SpaceX satellites.
The firm is also working to improve the detection of debris that could pose a threat to its, or other spacecraft.
It already has high-fidelity prediction and location data, which it uses to predict when its satellites will burn up in the atmosphere.
The firm stated that this information is already shared with the US Space Force, LeoLabs, and other operators for tracking.
SpaceX has provided every SpaceX satellite with an autonomous collision avoidance device that allows it to avoid collisions with other objects.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (pictured), hopes that Starlink constellations will have 42,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit in the future.
Satellites will plan avoidance maneuvers if there is a higher than 1/100,000.000 chance of collision (which is 10x lower than the industry standard for 1/10,000).
“When planning a maneuver for any conjunction, satellites take care not to increase the risk of other conjunctions above the same threshold.”
SpaceX automates this process using on-board systems. However SpaceX also claims it has operators on call at all times to coordinate with and respond to any queries.
“Starlink satellites can also autonomously avoid collisions by ducking for conjunctions. They can orient their attitude to have the smallest possible crossing-section (like the edge a sheet paper) in the direction that the potential conjunction is heading, reducing collision probability by 4-10x.
Satellite technology is extremely expensive to deploy but can provide high speed internet for rural and hard-to-reach areas that fiber optic cables or cell towers cannot reach.
This technology could also be a crucial backstop in the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, or another natural disaster.
SpaceX celebrated its 2000th Starlink satellite launch into space on January 18th with another 49 satellites.
Travis Longcore, a professor from UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability hasPreviously calledStarlink is a ‘crime against humanity’
Professor Longcore stated, “It robs me of the skies our ancestors in every corner of Earth,”