The company failed to fulfil its pledge to retire a satellite at 300 km above its operational arc but instead opted for 120 km, posing "orbital debris concerns".This file computer-generated image released by the European Space Agency on April 15, 2008 shows trackable objects in orbit around Earth. Photo: AFP Archive
"This marks a first in space debris enforcement by the Commission, which has stepped up its satellite policy efforts," the FCC, which authorises space-based telecom services, said in a statement. But with fuel running low, it retired the satellite at an altitude just over 120 kilometres above the original arc.