FCC to Force Unused Satellites to Deorbit in 5 Years to Fight Space Junk

Though space is vast, it’s unwise to think of it as an endless trash can. Hundreds of thousands of pieces of junk are currently floating in space, and each presents a collision risk. A lot of space junk is the result of unused or formally retired equipment that’s been left in orbit. As aerospace agencies continue to launch more equipment, the amount of stuff in orbit piles up, increasing the odds that two or more objects will collide. In fact, the European Space Agency (ESA) began to “get serious” about space cleanup back in 2017 after a piece of debris hit one of its satellites, damaging the device’s solar panel. A similar incident occurred with the ISS just a few years later.

The FCC’s proposal would help slow the accumulation of space junk by requiring agencies to bring satellites back into Earth’s atmosphere within five years of the satellite’s last use. Though NASA currently recommends that agencies deorbit their satellites within 25 years of retirement, this recommendation isn’t legally binding, and agencies are technically free to leave behind just about as much space junk as they want. (Not to mention the amount of debris that can pile up over a 25-year period.) If adopted, the FCC’s rule would be enforceable by law, most likely using monetary fines.

Depending on the circumstances, certain satellites will be exempt from the FAA’s rule. The agency’s proposal specifies that cases involving low government funding, unique spacecraft characteristics or environmental risks, and the need to conduct research “at altitudes in which a five-year post-mission disposal requirement may be unduly burdensome” could be eligible for a waiver, allowing those satellites to remain in orbit longer. There’s also a legacy clause built into the rule that would make currently-orbiting satellites exempt, and provide two extra years for satellites that have already been authorized by the FCC but have not yet been launched. This is to help reduce operational burden.

Space debris is such a rapidly-growing concern that philanthropists are beginning to dedicate their resources to space cleanup. Last year Apple’s Steve Wozniak launched a startup aimed at removing space junk to keep the intergalactic arena “safe and accessible to all humankind.” Dylan Taylor, CEO of Voyager Space, has also added debris cleanup to his space sustainability company’s list of priorities.

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