Dish Slapped with $150,000 Fine for Not Disposing Its Space Junk to the Space Junkyard

Dish has agreed to pay a $150,000 fine for violating the Federal Communications Commission's space debris rules. Dish failed to properly dispose of its decommissioned EchoStar-7 broadcast satellite by moving it to the designated "space junkyard" zone at a higher altitude. This is the FCC's first enforcement of rules to reduce space debris. As satellite operations grow exponentially, proper disposal practices are increasingly important for the sustainability of space activities.