Kuiper Pushes FCC to Rethink Its 5-Year Deorbit Rule
Amazon's Kuiper is pressing the FCC to revise its five-year deorbit rule for low earth orbit satellites. The current rule, which requires LEO operators to dispose of their satellites within five years of completing their missions, "imposes an artificial and…
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rigid timeline that does not clearly and meaningfully increase space safety for diverse technologies and mission profiles," company representatives told FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz, according to a filing posted Monday (docket 25-133). Satellite operators can be unfairly penalized for a satellite failure beyond their control, Kuiper said. It urged the agency to instead require satellite operators to design and operate their systems to achieve post-mission disposal within five years under nominal conditions. "This approach would better account for the practical realities of the space environment while incentivizing safe satellite and constellation design and operation." The agency adopted the five-year deorbit rule in September 2022 (see 2209290017).