(ANSA) – BEIJING, DECEMBER 28 – Beijing today accused the United States of irresponsible and dangerous conduct in space due to two “close encounters” between the Chinese space station and the satellites of the Starlink company of the American billionaire founder of Tesla, Elon Musk.
In particular, according to a note delivered this month by the Chinese government to the UN space agency, the new Chinese space station – the Tiangong – was forced to carry out emergency maneuvers to avoid collision with the satellites of the future Internet service Starlink in two occasions, in July and October of this year. The accidents, underlines the Chinese note, “endangered the life or health of the astronauts aboard the Chinese Space Station”.
Spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian, spoke on the matter today, according to whom “the United States … ignores its obligations under international treaties, posing a serious threat to the life and safety of astronauts”.
Starlink, a division of Musk’s SpaceX company, operates a constellation of nearly 2,000 satellites that aims to provide Internet access globally. SpaceX is a private company, but China states in its note that members of the Outer Space Treaty – the foundation of international space law – are also accountable for the actions of their non-governmental entities. (HANDLE).
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Source From: Ansa
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