SpaceX releases statement over NASA's Starlink concerns; says 'deeply committed' to safety

Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, which made astronomers and even NASA concerned about low-Earth orbit (LEO) traffic, has promised to maintain 'a safe orbital environment'. In an update shared by the company in late February, it said that SpaceX is 'deeply committed' to space safety and is investing significant resources to 'meet or exceed' regulations and best practices. SpaceX has so far launched over 2,000 satellites under its internet-providing company Starlink and plans to send around 40,000 more into orbit.

SpaceX lays out plans to protect human spaceflight

In its lengthy update, SpaceX said that its plans for a safe Starlink constellation also include safety to human spaceflights and 'ensuring the environment is kept sustainable for future missions to Earth orbit and beyond'. The update further provided a blueprint for SpaceX's approach to avoid in-space collision, implementing high maneuverability, open data sharing with other space agencies and plans for future and current Starlink launches.  

According to SpaceX, it has the capacity to build up to 45 satellites per week which shows its commitment to increasing broadband accessibility around the world. As for the de-orbiting of satellites, the company said in its update, 'We de-orbit satellites that are at risk of becoming non-maneuverable to prevent dead satellites from accumulating in orbit. Although this comes at the cost of losing otherwise healthy satellites, we believe this proactive approach is the right thing for space sustainability and safety'. 

Talking about the company's practices for Starlink, SpaceX said that it mainly focuses on key points that include building highly reliable, maneuverable satellites, operating at low altitudes (below 600 km) and transparently sharing orbital information. 

NASA's concerns about inflating Starlink constellation

In early February, NASA had issued a statement wherein it raised concerns over the Starlink constellation saying that it could lead to a 'significant increase' in potential collisions in LEO and impact science and human spaceflight missions. In its statement, the agency had said, 'NASA wants to ensure that the deployment of the Starlink Gen 2 system is conducted prudently, in a manner that supports spaceflight safety and the long-term sustainability of the space environment'. Apart from NASA, astronomers have also complained about the inflating Starlink satellites as they are causing trouble in astronomy.

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