The 25-year rule is an internationally recognized orbital debris mitigation guideline established by space agencies to prevent the accumulation of space junk in low Earth orbit. The policy mandates that satellite operators must ensure their spacecraft are designed to be safely removed from operational orbits within a maximum timeframe of twenty-five years after the completion of their active missions. Operators typically achieve compliance by utilizing remaining fuel reserves to execute a controlled de-orbit maneuver, burning up harmlessly in the atmosphere, or shifting the defunct satellite into a remote graveyard orbit.