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FCC hits Dish Network with $150K fine in agency’s first-ever space debris penalty

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Social Links for Patrick Reilly
Published Oct. 3, 2023, 6:26 p.m. ET

Dish Network has been slapped with a historic $150,000 fine by the Federal Communications Commission for failing to properly deorbit one of its broadcast satellites, creating orbital debris.

The FCC penalized the popular broadcast satellite provider for improperly disposing of its EchoStar-7 satellite in the agency’s first-ever space-debris enforcement measure.

“As satellite operations become more prevalent and the space economy accelerates, we must be certain that operators comply with their commitments,” FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan A. Egal said in a statement.

“This is a breakthrough settlement, making very clear the FCC has strong enforcement authority and capability to enforce its vitally important space debris rules,” he added.

The satellite was launched into space by DISH in 2002, according to the FCC.

space debris
The FCC handed out its first-ever space junk fine to Dish Network this week. ESA / Barcroft Media

The company filed an orbital mitigation plan that was approved by the agency in 2012, in which Dish agreed to bring the satellite, at the end of its mission, to an altitude of 186 miles above its operational geostationary arc.

DISH projected the satellite would begin de-orbiting in May 2022, however, in February 2022, it learned it had little propellant left, meaning it would not be able to follow its original plan.

“DISH ultimately retired the satellite at a disposal orbit approximately 72 miles above the geostationary arc, well short of the disposal orbit of (186 miles) specified in its orbital debris mitigation plan,” the FCC said.

SPACE - UNDATED: This ESA image shows trackable objects in orbit around Earth. The number of objects in Earth orbit has increased steadily - by two hundred per year on average. Today, the number of catalogued objects is approx. 12,500. Note: The debris objects shown in the images are an artist's impression based on actual density data. However, the debris objects are shown at an eggagerated size to make them visible at the scale shown. The amount of space junk orbiting earth has reached a 'tipping point' where continual collisions are thickening the already dense cloud shrouding the Earth, a Nasa report has revealed. In practical terms, it means that the amount of junk floating around the planet will make it increasingly difficult for spacecraft to leave the planet, effectively trapping us on earth. It also poses 'potentially catastrophic risk' to astronauts, satellites and the International Space Station. 'We've lost control of the environment,' said retired Nasa senior scientist Donald Kessler, who authored the report. There are 22,000 objects in orbit that are big enough for officials on the ground to track and countless more smaller ones that could do damage to human-carrying spaceships and valuable satellites. It is estimated that there are as may as 370,000 pieces of space junk floating in Earth's orbit, traveling at speeds of up to 22,000 mph. PHOTOGRAPH BY ESA / Barcroft Media UK Office, London. T +44 845 370 2233 W www.barcroftmedia.com USA Office, New York City. T +1 212 564 8159 W www.barcroftusa.com Indian Office, Delhi. T +91 11 4101 1726 W www.barcroftindia.com Australasian & Pacific Rim Office, Melbourne. E info@barcroftpacific.com T +613 9510 3188 or +613 9510 0688 W www.barcroftpacific.com
At the lower altitude, the defunct satellite poses a potential threat to other orbiting objects. ESA / Barcroft Media

At the lower altitude, the defunct satellite poses a potential threat to other orbiting objects.

The FCC licenses radio frequencies used by satellites and is in charge of enforcing satellite operators to properly handle their satellite debris, according to Gizmodo.

The agency established a Space Bureau in order to regulate the ballooning satellite industry and space clutter it causes earlier this year. 

There are currently 34,580 hunks of space junk being tracked by Space Surveillance Networks, with thousands of other smaller pieces of debris also hazardously floating about, according to the European Space Agency.