Enlarge / A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on January 29, 2020. (credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images )
SpaceX is disputing a Federal Aviation Administration report to Congress on the risk of Starlink satellite debris falling to Earth, alleging that the FAA “relied in error on a deeply flawed analysis that falsely characterizes reentry disposal risks associated with Starlink.” The analysis used by the FAA “reflects nothing more than the culmination of several egregious errors, omissions, and incorrect assumptions—and it should be dismissed,” SpaceX said.
The FAA’s report to Congress on the “risk associated with reentry disposal of satellites from proposed large constellations in low Earth orbit” was made public on Thursday last week. The Starlink operator responded yesterday in a letter that SpaceX shared with Ars.
“SpaceX writes to correct the record and address inaccurate assessments regarding Starlink,” stated the letter sent to the Department of Transportation, FAA, and leaders of the Senate and House appropriations committees. SpaceX also said it “respectfully requests that FAA correct its report to Congress.”
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