- SpaceX and OneWeb satellites were just a few meters apart to collide in orbit.
- The US space force has sent ‘red warnings’ to both companies to warn them of the impending disaster.
- The U.S. government agency found that the satellites were only 190 feet apart.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
According to reports, SpaceX and OneWeb’s satellites were dangerously close to each other to collide in orbit this past weekend.
The Verge reported that this was the first known accident avoidance incident for the two companies because they wanted to grow their new broadband radiation networks in space.
The event came after OneWeb blew a new group of 36 satellites into orbit and had to dodge through a series of Starlinks to reach the target.
The outlet said “red warnings” from the US Space Force 18th Space Control Squadron had been sent to both companies. The U.S. government agency found that the satellites were only 190 feet apart. A collision would have caused hundreds more pieces of debris to fly through space. It could also have led to further collisions with other nearby objects.
OneWeb’s satellites operate on an orbit about 550 km higher than SpaceX’s Starlink. This means that OneWeb’s constellation must move through SpaceX’s sea of satellites.
While both teams tried to coordinate, it was discovered that SpaceX had turned off its automated AI-powered collision avoidance system to give OneWeb the opportunity to chase its satellite out of the way, according to Chris McLaughlin, head of government, regulation and engagement at OneWeb.
McLaughlin spoke with Kate Duffy of Insider last week to discuss OneWeb’s strategy. He expressed concern about the way in which large space companies are launching thousands of satellites.
He said the practice “is not a responsible way forward for future generations”, adding that OneWeb “is adopting a more responsible use of space”. ‘
OneWeb plans to have 648 satellites at 1,200 km in orbit in line with the goal of providing a global broadband service. The company’s most recent launch on March 25 took it to 146 satellites.