The Federal Communications Commission is looking for a way to prevent litter from spacecraft like satellites. More recently, the agency has proposed a new path. If this path is adopted, a deadline will be set for how long non-stationary satellites can stay in space.
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FCC’s new proposal could enable satellite destruction within 5 years
The Federal Communications Commission has submitted a proposal to minimize space litter by requiring low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to be destroyed within a maximum of five years after decommissioning. The agency will put the proposal to a vote this month.
Voluntary NASA guidelines published in the 1990s recommended removing dead satellites from orbit within 25 years. However, finding this time long, the FCC said in its proposal, “We believe that it is no longer sustainable to get satellites out of orbit for decades on LEO.” said.
Satellites already in space could be exempted from the FCC’s guidelines if the directive is passed after the vote, scheduled for September 29.
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