The U.S. government’s crackdown on potentially hazardous debris floating in outer space began this week with its first-ever penalty against a company for failing to bring an aging satellite to a safe orbit.
An investigation by the Federal Communications Commission found that the Dish Network disposed of one of its satellites at an orbit “well below the elevation required by the terms of its license,” the agency announced on Monday. In a settlement, the U.S. satellite television company agreed to a pay a $150,000 fine, a first in the commission’s ramped-up efforts to enforce space debris regulations.
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“This is a breakthrough settlement, making very clear the FCC has strong enforcement authority and capability to enforce its vitally important space debris rules,” Loyaan Egal, acting chief of the FCC’s enforcement bureau, said in a statement. “As satellite operations become more prevalent and the space economy accelerates, we must be certain that operators comply with their commitments.”
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