The first-ever fine for space junk was issued in early October in a case of off-planet environmental enforcement （执法）. The television company, Dish Network, was hit with a $125, 000 fine by the United States government for failing to remove a satellite in orbit that would have risked a collision （撞击） with other space equipment, a safety concern that will only grow with time as off-planet activities increase.
According to NASA, debris （碎片） orbiting in space can travel up to 15 kilometres per second, which is nearly 10 times faster than the velocity （速度） of a bullet. A huge amount of damage can be caused by something just a few centimetres in size, meaning that every effort must be taken to keep space as clear as possible. Collisions that take place in space have an effect back on Earth. Damaged satellites impact our ability to use the Internet and navigation （导航）， leaving increasingly global critical infrastructure in an unstable state.
One solution for this may be to send autonomous space vehicles into orbit, which can then catch and effectively de-orbit space junk. By utilizing tools such as robotic arms, or nets, this approach will require very precise track and fine cooperation in order to be successful. Such measures are yet to catch up with the increase in space activity and pollution currently occurring. Therefore, fines and regulatory enforcement may presently be the only realistic method to hold organizations accountable.
The Dish Network satellite, fined $125, 000 by the Federal Communications Commission, failed to de-orbit as a lack of fuel stopped the satellite from fully decommissioning （退役） a safe distance from Earth, falling short by around 75 miles （120 kilometres）. It is hoped that significant fines like these will serve as a warning for companies, forcing them to make sure the safe decommissioning of their space operations.
