BEIJING, Dec. 29 (BNA) – Two satellites operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX Corporation have come dangerously close to colliding with the Chinese space station Tiangong, Beijing said on Tuesday.
The German news agency (DPA) reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry blamed the United States for its failure to conduct its space activities in a responsible manner and said it had submitted a formal complaint to the United Nations.
A State Department spokesperson said the space station had to quickly change course in July and October because the SpaceX Starlink satellite was on a collision course in each instance.
The spokesman said the US side should take immediate measures to prevent the repetition of such close calls and protect the lives of people living in orbit.
Both SpaceX and US car maker Tesla, which Musk also founded, have felt the wrath of Chinese social media users after the close encounters were announced. Many users called for a boycott of Tesla.
Construction of the Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace in English, began this year. The station, which so far consists only of the Tianhe unit, is scheduled for completion in 2022.
MI