US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued its first fine related to space debris rule violations. Dish Network has been fined $150,000 for failing to properly deorbit its EchoStar-7 satellite, which has been in space for over two decades. Instead of deorbiting the satellite as required, Dish sent it into a “disposal orbit” at a lower altitude, posing a risk of orbital debris.
Background
- Dish Network launched the EchoStar-7 satellite into geostationary orbit in 2002.
- In 2012, Dish agreed to an orbital debris mitigation plan, which involved moving the satellite to a “graveyard orbit” upon completing its mission to prevent it from posing a risk to active satellites.
- In 2022, Dish discovered that the satellite was low on propellant and could not reach its intended destination.
- As a result, the satellite ended up only 76 miles (122 km) above the active geostationary orbit areas, significantly off its planned trajectory.
Concerns About Space Debris
- Space debris, defined as non-functional artificial objects in Earth’s orbit, has become a growing concern for the FCC.
- The presence of old space debris can hinder new satellite missions and pose collision risks to active satellites.
- In 2022, the FCC adopted a rule requiring satellite operators to dispose of their satellites within five years of completing their missions to address the space debris issue.