NASA, SpaceX to share information so they don’t crash into each other

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has more than a thousand small satellites orbiting Earth as part of its Starlink network. To make sure there aren’t any collisions in space, NASA says it’ll work with Musk’s company under a new agreement signed Thursday.

NASA and SpaceX signed the agreement to share information in order to improve safety in space, NASA said. The joint agreement is designed to make sure the two give each other notice of upcoming launches and trajectories so that any spacecraft, satellites or other assets avoid colliding.

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“Society depends on space-based capabilities for global communications, navigation, weather forecasting and much more,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. “With commercial companies launching more and more satellites, it’s critical we increase communications, exchange data and establish best practices to ensure we all maintain a safe space environment.”

NASA and SpaceX routinely work together on launches, including the Crew Dragon flight from last May. This was the first launch of astronauts on US soil since 2011.