Space Regulatory Glossary Regulations

Five-Year Rule

noun

1. An FCC rule adopted in September 2022 (effective September 2024) requiring satellite operators in low Earth orbit to dispose of their spacecraft within five years of mission completion.
2. The rule shortened the previous 25-year guideline and applies to all new FCC-licensed satellite systems, making it one of the most significant orbital debris regulations in recent history.

Read: The FCC 5-Year Deorbit Rule Explained

Related terms

FCC The Federal Communications Commission. The U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating interstate and international… deorbit The deliberate removal of a spacecraft from its operational orbit, typically through controlled reentry into Earth's… orbital debris Non-functional human-made objects in Earth orbit, including defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, fragmentation… Kessler syndrome A theoretical scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit reaches a tipping point where collisions… orbital debris mitigation plan A required component of FCC satellite license applications describing the measures an operator will take to minimize… NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The U.S. federal agency responsible for the nation's civil space… IADC The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee. An international governmental forum of space agencies that…

Mentioned in The Downlink

• U.S. Space Regulatory Compliance: A Complete Guide

  Navigate FCC, FAA, NOAA, and ITU requirements for commercial space missions. Four agencies, timelines, costs, and compliance steps.

• The FCC 5-Year Deorbit Rule Explained

  The FCC cut satellite disposal timelines from 25 years to 5. Who it applies to, how operators comply, and what happens if they don't.

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