Not satisfied with just polluting the Earth, the article in the url below demonstrates how we are also doing a great job of polluting space:
"The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued its first fine to a company that violated its anti-space debris rule, the commission announced Monday."
Unfortunately, the size of the fine is not going to act too much as a deterrent, but surely a mark of our progress that we are causing an equal amount of damage to the cosmos as to our own home:
"Dish Network has to pay $150,000 to the commission over its failure to de-orbit its EchoStar-7 satellite which has been in space for more than two decades. Instead of properly de-orbiting the satellite, Dish sent it into a 'disposal orbit' at an altitude low enough to pose orbital debris risk."
I suppose the only thing more arrogant than Dish Network casually polluting space, is the FCC assuming it is the correct authority to police space:
"'As satellite operations become more prevalent and the space economy accelerates, we must be certain that operators comply with their commitments,' said Enforcement bureau chief Loyaan A Egal, in the statement announcing the Dish settlement. 'This is a breakthrough settlement, making very clear the FCC has strong enforcement authority and capability to enforce its vitally important space debris rules.'"
And, guess what? The problem is only going to get worse and will hamper future progress:
"'Right now there are thousands of metric tons of orbital debris in the air above – and it is going to grow,' FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in a 2022 statement that accompanied the announcement of the rule. 'We need to address it. Because if we don't, this space junk could constrain new opportunities.'"
Who knew that pollution was such an impediment?
Take care
David
David Chandler
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US government issues first-ever space debris penalty to Dish Network
By Abené Clayton
October 2, 2023
The Guardian
