Starlink satellites forced to perform 355,000 collision avoidance maneuvers per year

Starlink satellites from Elon Musk's SpaceX are showing unprecedented activity in Earth's orbit. Over the past 12 months, these devices have performed over 355,000 maneuvers to avoid collisions with space debris and other objects. This figure is a record in the history of space exploration and brings the issue of orbital traffic safety to the forefront. This is reported by Ixbt.com .

Currently, each Starlink satellite is forced to correct its orbit on average more than 40 times a year, or almost every week. According to reports provided by SpaceX, nearly 207,000 maneuvers were performed in the last six-month period alone. This is 60,000 more than the previous half-year figure. Such a sharp increase is directly related to the rapid growth in the number of satellites in orbit.

Space traffic and safety measures

As the number of devices in orbit increases, the load on automated control systems also grows. The Starlink system uses AI-based automated mechanisms to detect and avoid dangerous close approaches. If the system detects a collision probability, the satellite changes its trajectory using its engines.

Industry experts warn that the expansion of satellite constellations could put serious pressure on orbital traffic management systems in the future. Although the probability of collision in each individual approach is very low, the increase in the total number of situations raises the risk of unexpected accidents and the creation of new space debris.

These technologies are not foreign to users in Uzbekistan either. At a time when interest in high-speed satellite internet is growing in our country, the stable operation of major projects like Starlink is of great importance for global digital communication. However, "traffic" in space could complicate the process of launching new satellites in the future.

Experts emphasize the need to further strengthen international standards for tracking space objects and coordinating their movement. Otherwise, the orbit around Earth could become filled with space debris, potentially turning into a dangerous zone for future missions. For now, SpaceX emphasizes the reliability of its systems and continues to maintain a safe distance.