US imposes inaugural space debris fine on a television service provider

DISH Network will have to pay $150,000

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The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed its first-ever fine related to space debris, penalizing a TV company, Dish, with a $150,000 fine for failing to properly dispose of the EchoStar-7 satellite.

Here are a few key points:

• The satellite, in orbit since 2002, was not deorbited as agreed upon, potentially posing space debris concerns.

• Dish had pledged to raise it to a higher altitude but retired it at a lower one due to fuel constraints.

• The FCC emphasized the importance of enforcing space debris rules as satellite operations increase and the space economy grows. Dish countered, stating that EchoStar-7 had been exempted from the FCC's disposal rule.

• The issue of space debris is gaining attention, with potential collision risks and the need for regulations to reduce it.