Not only on earth does man have to deal with waste, it is also an increasing problem in space. In addition to the remains of ancient rockets, debris from disused satellites in particular makes space travel near Earth increasingly dangerous. The US telecommunications authority FCC now wants to limit the time that old satellites stay in space by law.
Currently, voluntary NASA guidelines from the 1990s recommend that satellites that no longer function or are no longer needed should be removed within 25 years by controlled crashing or burning up in the atmosphere, according to an Ars Technica report. In contrast, the FCC wants to issue a regulation that would require domestic satellite operators and companies seeking access to the US market to dispose of their non-functioning satellites within five years. “We believe it is no longer sustainable to keep low-Earth orbit satellites in orbit for decades,” the agency said.
Satellites already in space would be exempt from the FCC rule. The agency is also proposing to start a two-year grandfathering period on Sept. 29, the day it plans to vote on the regulation. This exemption would allow organizations that have already received approval for future satellite launches to develop a takedown plan for their satellites. The FCC said it would allow exceptions on a case-by-case basis after NASA raised concerns that the five-year limit would affect its missions.
“Significant Risk” to US Space Ambitions
According to the FCC, the growing problem of space debris poses a “significant risk” to US space aspirations. According to the agency, there are currently more than 4,800 satellites in orbit, and forecasts indicated that there would be many more. According to Ars Technica, the number of satellites could grow to as many as 18,000 by 2025 thanks to companies such as SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb. Not only would they make it harder to observe the night sky, but they would also increase the chances of a possible crash.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
