Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Elon Musk criticised on Chinese social media over risk of 'collision' between Starlink satellites and space station

Elon Musk criticised on Chinese social media over risk of 'collision' between Starlink satellites and space station

China has submitted a complaint to the UN agency responsible for space safety because it says its space station was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with satellites launched by the founder of SpaceX and Tesla.

Elon Musk has faced a backlash from Chinese social media users after China complained its space station was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the tech billionaire's Starlink satellites.

China submitted a document earlier this month to the UN's space agency saying that satellites from the Starlink division of Mr Musk's SpaceX aerospace company had two "close encounters" with the Chinese space station on 1 July and 21 October.

As news of the filing spread, users of the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo piled on, with one user saying Starlink satellites were "just a pile of space junk" and another describing them as "American space warfare weapons".

China's submission to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs says that: "For safety reasons, the China Space Station implemented preventive collision avoidance control."

China's Tianhe module, the first of a series of modules that will make up its Tiangong space station, was launched on 29 April 2021 and has been orbiting since. Its launch was also shrouded in controversy.

Tianhe is set to be joined later this year by two further modules. China's complaints to the UN have not been independently verified.

'The human race will pay for SpaceX's business activities'


SpaceX has sent nearly 1,900 satellites into orbit in order to create its Starlink broadband network, and the company is planning more.

SpaceX has not so far responded to a request by Reuters for comment.

Another Weibo user posted: "The risks of Starlink are being gradually exposed, the whole human race will pay for their business activities."

There are thought to be nearly 30,000 satellites and other objects orbiting the earth and scientists have urged governments to share information to cut the risk of collisions.

NASA said in November that astronauts on the International Space Station were forced to take emergency measures after debris from an old Russian satellite destroyed by a Russian missile floated dangerously close by.

At the time, Musk tweeted that the orbits of some Starlink satellites had been adjusted to reduce the likelihood of collisions.

Musk is well-known in China, but his other company, electric vehicle maker Tesla, has come under increasing scrutiny from regulators in the country after some customers complained about poor service.

It comes at the end of a year during which Musk was named Time magazine's 2021 Person of the Year, partly because his company's market value soared to more than $1 trillion.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×