China considers Starlink satellites a threat to space because of non-compliance with orbital distance

China continues to fight the deployment of Starlink satellites in orbit in various ways. So far, all methods have been limited to words and scientific research. A new article in the Chinese magazine Radio Engineering offers a look at the new accusations against Elon Musk's company.

Here's What We Know

The authors of the material believe that SpaceX satellites are a threat to the future of space. This is due to the fact that the spacecraft Starlink allegedly do not adhere to the rules of distance in orbit.

It is believed that they should not come close to a distance of less than 10 kilometers. Otherwise, the risk of collision rises sharply. This can be the beginning of cascading destruction and eventually lead to the destruction of a large number of spacecraft. Then the satellites will simply collapse on Earth in the form of a metallic rain before they have time to burn up in the atmosphere.

According to Chinese researchers, sometimes the distance between Starlinks is reduced to 5 kilometers. Moreover, the article notes that this is a deliberate move by SpaceX, as such proximity improves the quality of laser communication.

Chinese scientists have long been looking for ways to fight against the satellites of the American company, as they believe that in the event of an armed conflict the U.S. army will be able to use them for their purposes. The Chinese have even reached the idea of detonating a nuclear bomb. But this is only on paper. In the meantime, China is asking SpaceX to comply with the rules of orbital traffic. Otherwise Beijing will also stop following the rules.

Source: scmp

Image: Flying Magazine