FCC Launches Review of Rules to Mitigate Orbital Space Debris

The Federal Communications Commission initiated a comprehensive review of its orbital debris mitigation rules. Orbital debris, also known as space debris, consists of a variety of objects, including non-functional satellites, that are orbiting the Earth. Debris can pose a risk to operations in Earth orbit, including satellites and manned spacecraft, and in some instances, pieces of debris falling back to Earth can pose a risk to persons and property on the surface of the Earth. With this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC is seeking to keep pace with technological and market changes, and to incorporate improvements in debris mitigation practices into the FCC’s rules.