New SpaceX satellites snarled by red tape

SpaceX has withstood attacks from powerhouse competitors like Amazon in the internet space race, but now must overcome warnings from NASA that its fleet of second-generation satellites could hamper asteroid detection work. SpaceX wants to launch up to 30,000 satellites for its Starlink internet service to improve the speeds and service from the roughly 2,000 satellites currently deployed in its first-generation network. The company has begun building the second-generation satellites, or Gen2, in anticipation of launching as early as March 2022. However, it's facing headwinds at both the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration. And in a February 8 filing, NASA warned the increase in satellites could have "a detrimental effect on our planet’s ability to detect and possibly redirect a potentially catastrophic impact" from an asteroid because satellite streaks would likely appear on imagery used to detect asteroids. SpaceX has said its satellites are designed to automatically maneuver to avoid collisions and its system has been rated as trustworthy by NASA. Meanwhile, the FAA received a deluge of more than 19,000 comments when it sought feedback on its environmental assessment of SpaceX's Starship launch program in Boca Chica (TX).