Prior to funding drying up a few years ago, ASTRIAGraph was being fed data to chart objects defying internationally recognized guidelines, including geostationary satellites such as EchoStar-7 that were not retired properly.
DISH estimated that the deorbit maneuvers for EchoStar-7 would occur in May 2022.
In February 2022, DISH found that its attempts to maneuver EchoStar-7 were not producing expected changes to its trajectory.
DISH filed a license modification application in 2010 to operate the EchoStar-7 satellite at a different longitude than authorized.
In May 2022, DISH notified the FCC that EchoStar-7 had completed its deorbit maneuvers and was placed in a disposal orbit only 122 kilometers above its geostationary arc.
DISH committed to maneuvering the EchoStar-7 satellite to a disposal orbit at least 300 kilometers above its operational orbit in its debris mitigation plan.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) entered into a negotiated Consent Decree with DISH Operating LLC to resolve an investigation into the deorbiting of its EchoStar-7 satellite.
A subsequent investigation revealed that EchoStar-7 was low on propellant and required near-term deorbiting.
The FCC determined that DISH violated the Communications Act by failing to properly relocate the EchoStar-7 satellite to the required disposal orbit.
DISH received an initial license for the EchoStar-7 satellite in early 2002.
The FCC approved a Dish Network plan in 2012 to move EchoStar-7 at the end of its mission to 300 km above geostationary orbit.
EchoStar-7 was left 122 km above its operational geostationary arc, which is less than halfway to Dish Network’s agreed disposal altitude of 300 km above geostationary orbit.
The settlement includes an admission of liability from Dish Network for leaving EchoStar-7 at 122 km above its operational geostationary arc.
Three months before the planned May 2022 move, Dish Network found insufficient propellant remaining on EchoStar-7.
Anders Johnson, president of EchoStar Satellite Services, attributed the division’s revenue loss to an oversupply of Ku-band satellite capacity, Dish’s termination of its lease on EchoStar-7, and Dish’s reduction of four transponders on EchoStar-9.