China's space agency contacted NASA to propose a satellite maneuver to avoid a possible collision, an exchange NASA described as a first during Alvin Drew's Oct. 2 remarks at the IAC in Sydney. Previously, NASA typically alerted China and suggested Chinese satellites hold while others moved; this time CNSA offered to maneuver itself. The contact suggests improved Chinese space situational awareness as both countries expand megaconstellations like Starlink, Guowang and Thousand Sails, increasing collision and debris risks. Formal NASA–CNSA cooperation remains limited by the Wolf Amendment, but the outreach highlights growing operational coordination for orbital safety.
China's Space Agency Contacts NASA to Offer Satellite Maneuver — A First in Space Traffic Coordination
China's space agency contacted NASA to propose a satellite maneuver to avoid a possible collision, an exchange NASA described as a first during Alvin Drew's Oct. 2 remarks at the IAC in Sydney. Previously, NASA typically alerted China and suggested Chinese satellites hold while others moved; this time CNSA offered to maneuver itself. The contact suggests improved Chinese space situational awareness as both countries expand megaconstellations like Starlink, Guowang and Thousand Sails, increasing collision and debris risks. Formal NASA–CNSA cooperation remains limited by the Wolf Amendment, but the outreach highlights growing operational coordination for orbital safety.
03:48, 07.11.2025Science
China offers to move satellites to avoid a potential collision — NASA calls it a first
China's national space agency recently contacted NASA to propose a maneuver aimed at avoiding a possible satellite collision, a development NASA described as unprecedented in direct space-traffic coordination. Alvin Drew, director of NASA Space Sustainability, announced the exchange during a plenary session at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney on Oct. 2.
"For years, if we had a conjunction, we would send a note to the Chinese saying, 'We think we're going to run into you. You hold still, we'll maneuver around you,'" Drew said. "Just yesterday, we had a bit of a celebration because, for the first time, the Chinese National Space Agency reached out to us and said, 'We see a conjunction amongst our satellites. We recommend you hold still. We'll do the maneuver.'"
This exchange matters because both the United States — notably through SpaceX's Starlink — and China — with plans for megaconstellations such as Guowang and Thousand Sails — are rapidly increasing the number of satellites in low Earth orbit. More satellites mean more close approaches (conjunctions) and a higher risk of collisions that can create dangerous clouds of space debris.
Why this is significant
The outreach suggests China's space situational awareness (SSA) capabilities have matured to the point of identifying potential conjunctions and initiating coordination with other operators. China highlighted improved SSA as a priority in its 2022 space white paper and has said it is developing technologies to remove orbital debris.
Formal cooperation between NASA and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has historically been constrained by the Wolf Amendment, which restricts most bilateral interaction between NASA and Chinese government entities. Still, the noted contact demonstrates that operational coordination over collision avoidance can sometimes bridge political and legal boundaries for safety reasons.
Broader implications
Experts say routine, timely information-sharing and clear protocols among operators — commercial and government — are essential to reduce collision risk and preserve the long-term sustainability of space operations. This instance, described by NASA as a first, could be an early sign of emerging practical cooperation that prioritizes safety over politics.