Washington, US

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken a historic step by imposing its first-ever fine on a company for breaching its anti-space debris regulation. The commission announced on Monday (Oct 1) that Dish Network has been ordered to pay $150,000 for its failure to properly de-orbit its EchoStar-7 satellite, which has remained in space for over two decades.

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Rather than executing a correct de-orbit procedure, Dish sent the satellite into a "disposal orbit" at an altitude that posed a risk of contributing to orbital debris.

Significance of space debris rules

Loyaan A Egal, Chief of the Enforcement Bureau at the FCC while speaking to the Guardian, stressed the vital need to enforce space debris regulations, particularly as satellite operations become increasingly prevalent in the burgeoning space economy.

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Egal stated that this settlement represents a groundbreaking development, underscoring the FCC's robust enforcement authority and its capability to uphold critical space debris rules.

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Dish Network originally launched the EchoStar-7 satellite into geostationary orbit in 2002, a region situated 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometres) above Earth's surface. In 2012, Dish committed to an orbital debris mitigation plan, pledging that once its mission concluded, the EchoStar-7 satellite would be repositioned to a "graveyard orbit" located 186 miles (300 kilometres) above its initial position. This strategic relocation aimed to ensure that the satellite would not pose a risk to other operational satellites.

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However, in 2022, Dish encountered propellant shortages in the satellite, making it unfeasible to reach its intended destination. Consequently, the satellite ended up positioned a mere 76 miles (122 kilometres) above active geostationary orbit areas, deviating significantly from its designated orbit by 178 kilometres.

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FCC's concerns regarding space debris

Space debris, broadly defined by the FCC as artificial objects orbiting Earth that are no longer functional spacecraft, has emerged as a growing concern for the commission.

The FCC argues that the accumulation of obsolete materials in orbit can impede the launch and successful execution of new satellite missions. In response to these apprehensions, the FCC implemented a rule in 2022 mandating that satellite operators dispose of their satellites within five years of mission completion.

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