Chinese satellites forced Starlink devices to make 150,000 evasions in space.
Starlink devices made approximately 150,000 evasive maneuvers from Chinese satellites and space debris in 2025. This is "exhausting" them, according to a report by SpaceX submitted to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which was reviewed by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The document notes that from June 1 to November 30, Starlink satellites performed 148,696 maneuvers to prevent collisions. A significant portion of these cases involved objects of Chinese origin. For SpaceX, the greatest threat comes from the experimental satellite Honghu-2, developed by the Chinese company Hongqing Technology, which alone accounted for 1,143 evasions.
The report listed the 20 most dangerous objects in orbit for Starlink satellites, which forced the devices to change trajectory, seven of which were associated with China. The company explained that maneuvers to prevent collisions consume fuel and wear out the satellites, reducing their operational lifespan.
Moreover, the situation will become even more challenging in the future as the number of devices in orbit increases, along with the volume of space debris. Competing satellite mega-constellations (groups of thousands of artificial satellites created to provide global internet) also pose a threat.
Previously, China viewed Starlink satellites as a national security threat. Several close encounters between a satellite and the Chinese orbital station have already been recorded, along with the breakup of another device.
