As more companies look to offer space-based services, space junk is likely to pile up. Fines will ensure that the industry works to clear the mess it is making too.
US imposes $150,000 fine on Dish Network for space debris::undefined
Okay but at least they have their dishes out there for 20+ years. While musk has his starlink for 4 years before self destructing in the atmosphere. Why not fine him for wasting resources and have his dishes last 15-20years
End-of-life satellites must either be deorbited or moved to a graveyard orbit. The issue isn’t about wasted resources - it’s having inert, untrackable debris in an orbit that could be used by others, rendering it useless and dangerous. It’s not an issue for Starlink because they encounter a much greater atmospheric drag compared to most telecommunication satellites, so that issue is fixed with time.
I don’t really get why they got fined when they did the best they could. The satellite was launched 20 years before the law was in effect. It’s not like they knew that in 20 years they would need x amount of fuel (though to be fair, it probably would have been about 150k in extra cost back then)
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Oh no, how will Dish Network ever financially recover from such a consequential fine!?
I wonder if the folks of DISH, TX are still happy about the deal they made.
For sure, worst case some peons lost their bonus or something. Nothing the execs care about.
Probably, the 150k fine is way cheaper than retrieving it!
Okay but at least they have their dishes out there for 20+ years. While musk has his starlink for 4 years before self destructing in the atmosphere. Why not fine him for wasting resources and have his dishes last 15-20years
End-of-life satellites must either be deorbited or moved to a graveyard orbit. The issue isn’t about wasted resources - it’s having inert, untrackable debris in an orbit that could be used by others, rendering it useless and dangerous. It’s not an issue for Starlink because they encounter a much greater atmospheric drag compared to most telecommunication satellites, so that issue is fixed with time.
Great clarification.
$150k, that’ll teach 'em!
I don’t really get why they got fined when they did the best they could. The satellite was launched 20 years before the law was in effect. It’s not like they knew that in 20 years they would need x amount of fuel (though to be fair, it probably would have been about 150k in extra cost back then)
Agreed about them doing nothing against the law in the past.
But against your last anecdote: 150k now is worth more than having to maybe pay 150k later