The U.S. is getting serious about space junk

The U.S. government is taking legal steps to limit the amount of space junk — the cloud of dangerous debris still orbiting the Earth — after more than six

The U.S. government is taking legal steps to limit the amount of space junk — the cloud of dangerous debris still orbiting the Earth — after more than six decades of space races, rocket launches, planetary missions and booming satellite activity. 

The key measure is the imposition last week by the Federal Communications Commission of a five-year lifetime for new satellites after they complete their mission, by which time they’ll have to deorbit and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Before now, a 25-year lifetime has been in place as a guideline, but it’s never been legally enforced.

The new rule applies only to satellites launched by U.S. operators, and it won’t solve the space junk problem on its own. But experts agree it’s a good start and in line with international efforts.

“It’s about establishing rules for space and having a legal framework that people have to adhere to,” said space debris expert Carolin Frueh, an associate professor of aeronautic and astronautic engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. “That’s a big step.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/us-getting-serious-space-junk-rcna50473

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