The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US has imposed a US$150,000 fine on Dish Network for failing to move an old satellite to a graveyard orbit after the end of its mission and posing a risk for other satellites, a press release said.
The FCC defines space debris as artificial objects that are not functional spacecraft but continue to orbit the Earth. Estimates suggest that more than 10,000 satellites have been launched into space since the then-Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1. More than half of them are no longer in use and continue to orbit the planet.
As the space around the Earth gets more congested with companies working to build constellations of mini-satellites, it is getting harder for new satellites to find orbits and start their missions without bumping into old defunct ones. In 2022, the FCC introduced a new rule that mandated that satellite operators dispose of satellites within five years of their mission completion.
Why was Dish Network fined?
The Dish Network is well known for providing direct, satellite-based broadcast services and uses a large number of satellites to serve its customers. One such satellite, EchoStar-7, was launched in 2002 into geostationary orbit, 22,000 miles (36,000km) above the Earth's surface.
Under FCC's new ruling, Dish Network was to move the satellite 186 miles (~300 km) further away from the Earth after its service life ended in 2022. This would place it in a "graveyard orbit" where it would pose the least risk to other satellites.
When Dish began to move EchoStar-7 away, it realized it had limited propellant onboard and would only be able to move the satellite 76 miles (122 km) away, more than 100 miles off its intended mark.
In a settlement with the FCC, the company has agreed to pay $150,000 as a fine for failing to deorbit the satellite and adhere to the FCC's norms.
Setting a precedent
The fine amount is a small percentage of Dish Network's revenues in 2022, the BBC reported. However, instead of creating an impact on the erring company, the ruling is expected to set a precedent for players in the space sector.
As a large number of startups enter the fray offering new services with newer technologies, the space debris problem is expected to compound rapidly in the coming years. The International Space Station (ISS) has performed multiple debris avoidance maneuvers in the past, while even a chip of paint traveling at orbital speeds of 17,500 miles (28,163 km) an hour can prove fatal for an astronaut.
Experts are of the view that the first-ever fine of this kind from the regulator will make the industry take notice of likely outcomes and ensure that it complies with the 2022 rule and works its way to decongest the limited space available for missions.
NASA estimates that there are 25,000 pieces of space junk measuring over about four inches (10 cm) or above, and while it practically not be possible to remove all of them from their orbits, efforts are needed to ensure that we do not add to this pile.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article