“This marks a first in space debris enforcement by the Commission, which has stepped up its satellite policy efforts,” the FCC said in a news release.
The objects could pose a risk of colliding with active satellites, the International Space Station or other pieces of debris, further exacerbating the risk of in-space collisions.
It was launched to geostationary orbit — a field of space that begins about 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) above Earth — in 2002.
But, according to the FCC, Dish did not leave enough fuel on board the satellite to make that maneuver possible.
But geostationary orbit remains home to large, expensive telecommunications satellites, such as those operated by Dish, Intelsat, SES and Viasat.
Organizations:
CNN — Satellite, Dish Network, Federal Communications Commission, Commission, FCC, Space, Dish, Intelsat, SES, Viasat