(ORDO NEWS) — On Tuesday, Beijing accused the United States of irresponsible and unsafe behavior in space in connection with two “encounters” between the Chinese space station and satellites operated by Elon Musk‘s SpaceX.
China‘s new Tiangong space station had to maneuver to avoid collisions with one Starlink satellite in July and another in October, according to a report presented by Beijing to the UN this month.
The report said the incidents “pose a threat to the life and health of astronauts aboard the China Space Station.”
“The United States … ignores its obligations under international treaties, posing a serious threat to the life and safety of astronauts,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a briefing on Tuesday.
Addressing reporters, US State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to specifically respond to China’s accusations.
“We have called on all countries with space programs to be accountable and avoid actions that could endanger astronauts and others who are in Earth orbit,” Price said.
SpaceX did not comment on the situation.
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