Starlink satellites pose 'safety and security' risks, China warns
What's the story
China has raised alarms over the rapid growth of internet satellite constellations, like SpaceX's Starlink. The country claims these developments pose "pronounced safety and security challenges." The warning was issued during an informal United Nations Security Council event initiated by Russia on Monday. Beijing's representative cited several incidents, including near misses between Starlink satellites and the Chinese space station in 2021, as well as a satellite that broke apart in December.
Accusations
China accuses Starlink of ignoring airspace and laws
The Chinese representative also accused "certain low Earth orbit constellations," including Starlink, of ignoring countries' airspace and laws. These satellites were allegedly used for military reconnaissance as well as by terrorist and separatist groups. The comments came just after a senior executive from Starlink revealed that one of its satellites almost collided with a newly launched Chinese satellite due to lack of coordination from the latter's side.
Concerns raised
Unchecked proliferation of commercial satellite constellations
The Chinese representative stressed that while humanity has made strides in outer space exploration, the unchecked growth of commercial space activities is a major concern. They said, "the unchecked proliferation of commercial satellite constellations by a certain country, in the absence of effective regulation." This statement was part of a broader criticism directed at the fast-paced development of satellite networks.