Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

China urges U.S. to protect its space station from satellites

In this image taken from video footage run by China's CCTV, Chinese astronauts waves goodbye after conducting a lesson from China's space station for children across different parts of China through video link on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (CCTV via AP) In this image taken from video footage run by China's CCTV, Chinese astronauts waves goodbye after conducting a lesson from China's space station for children across different parts of China through video link on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (CCTV via AP)
Share
BEIJING -

China is calling on the United States to protect a Chinese space station and its three-member crew after Beijing complained that satellites launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX nearly struck the station.

A foreign ministry spokesman accused Washington on Tuesday of ignoring its treaty obligations to protect the safety of the Tiangong station's three-member crew following the July 1 and Oct. 21 incidents.

The Tiangong performed "evasive maneuvers" to "prevent a potential collision" with Starlink satellites launched by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., the government said in a Dec. 6 complaint to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

The United States should "take immediate measures to prevent such incidents from happening again," said the spokesman, Zhao Lijian.

Zhao accused Washington of failing to carry out its obligations to "protect the safety of astronauts" under a 1967 treaty on the peaceful use of space.

The American Embassy in Beijing didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Musk also is chairman of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, Inc. The company opened its first factory outside the United States in Shanghai in 2019.

The Tiangong, however, is a prestige project for the ruling Communist Party, making it unlikely Beijing would tolerate disruption even by a major foreign investor in China.

The main module of the Tiangong was launched in April. Its first crew returned to Earth in September following a 90-day mission.

The second crew of two men and one woman arrived on Oct. 16 for a six-month mission.

SpaceX plans to launch some 2,000 Starlink satellites as part of a global internet system to bring internet access to underserved areas.

In its 34th and latest launch, SpaceX sent 52 satellites into orbit aboard a rocket Dec. 18.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.