The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued its first fine related to space debris, penalizing Dish Network for not appropriately decommissioning an old satellite.

Despite prior agreement to send the EchoStar-7 satellite to a "graveyard orbit" at the end of its lifecycle, the company couldn't execute this due to insufficient fuel.

While the fine of $150,000 seems small compared to Dish’s $16.8 billion 2022 revenue, it illustrates the FCC's readiness to apply its regulatory powers.


The issue of space debris is becoming increasingly severe, with thousands of satellites and other objects causing potential risks to operational spacecraft.

An example of the dangers this debris can cause occurred in 2009, when a decommissioned satellite collided with another, resulting in over 1,800 pieces of additional debris.


To avoid what NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler theorized as a cascade of collisions making space travel and satellite technology unusable, companies are required to decommission their satellites responsibly.

As the number of human-made objects in space is expected to rise significantly due to advancements like SpaceX's Starlink program, regulatory efforts like this fine by the FCC aim to keep space safe for exploration and use in the future.