The American company Dish Network became the first in the world to be fined for space debris - a satellite that had spent its life, which the company never got rid of, writes “Argumenty i Fakty” with reference to The Guardian.

For not disposing of the satellite on time, Dish Network will have to pay the US Federal Communications Commission a fine of 150 thousand USD. The EchoStar-7 satellite was launched in 2002. In 2012, an agreement was signed according to which the satellite, after the end of its service life, will be raised another 300 kilometers above the Earth, where it will remain forever. However, it turned out that the satellite did not have enough fuel to put it into orbit for “burial” - it was only raised 122 kilometers. Now the outdated satellite poses a threat to the launch of new space objects.

The US Federal Communications Commission intends to combat pollution of near-Earth space, including through financial means. According to its chairman, Jessica Rosenworcel, there are currently thousands of tons of orbital debris hanging over the heads of earthlings and the amount continues to grow. If no measures are taken, this debris may interfere with the further implementation of space programs of a number of states.