General Stephen Whiting, head of the US Space Command, has urged China to improve communication about space debris as its rocket launches increase.

China’s efforts to expand its satellite network, including the Qianfan Constellation, have resulted in significant debris in orbit.

Notably, a recent Long March 6A rocket launch created over 700 fragments, while another in November 2022 dispersed more than 530 pieces of debris.

Whiting expressed hope that future debris events will be communicated proactively rather than detected by US sensors, the South China Morning Post has reported.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed these incidents and stated that China is monitoring and mitigating space debris to protect orbital environments.

Written by B.C. Begley