Alternative: the system exists, so people in the know may well have done proper risk assessment and may have identified multiple reasons that could result in a collision. Some of those reasons are accidental, some are not.
If so, SpaceX's longer term response being "here's our SSA data for everyone and here's how we source it" is a good one for all parties involved (even more so for SpaceX and govt customers they share it with if they have other capabilities...)
Weapons test springs to mind, or as a sibling comment suggested a test of Starlink response capabilities.
How confident are we the intent was nefarious? Do you ever see accidental near-misses with this type of flight profile?
The system exists- ergo, people in the know are concerned about accidental collisions.
Alternative: the system exists, so people in the know may well have done proper risk assessment and may have identified multiple reasons that could result in a collision. Some of those reasons are accidental, some are not.
A test of SpaceX's awareness & response would be ample reason.
If so, SpaceX's longer term response being "here's our SSA data for everyone and here's how we source it" is a good one for all parties involved (even more so for SpaceX and govt customers they share it with if they have other capabilities...)
Speculation:
SpaceX has considerably better data than what they disclose, and offer free of charge.
The USSF enjoys full access to that better data, for $[TOP_SECRET]/month.
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