Starlink urges satellite operators to share maneuver data to prevent orbital collisions

Starlink has identified undisclosed satellite maneuvers by other operators as the primary collision risk in low Earth orbit (LEO). The company is advocating for industry-wide transparency, urging operators to openly share ephemeris data, predicted trajectories, and planned maneuvers to prevent near-misses.

Starlink reported that in 2026, it encountered conjunctions with approximately 650 unique maneuvering third-party satellites, though only about half of those operators shared ephemeris data. The company noted that over a six-month period, it observed roughly 164,000 conjunctions where the time of closest approach occurred within four hours of an unannounced maneuver.

According to Starlink, the lack of high-accuracy post-maneuver trajectory information can lead to a false sense of security, as operators may not realize the risks their actions create. While some companies withhold data due to proprietary concerns or government restrictions, Starlink argues these policies are counterproductive to space safety. To support safety efforts, Starlink publishes high-accuracy ephemeris for its fleet of over 11,000 satellites every hour and has made its system available for other operators to contribute data via space-safety.com.