ORBITS Act would create landmark program to clean up dangerous orbital debris threatening space exploration, satellites, and commercial space operations
Bill unanimously passed Senate last Congress
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Maria Cantwell, Cynthia Lummis, and Roger Wicker reintroduced the bipartisan Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act to establish a first-of-its-kind demonstration program that would reduce the nearly 1 million pieces of space junk in orbit.
“Dangerous debris in Earth’s orbit threatens American satellites and jeopardizes future space exploration missions,” said Hickenlooper. “It’s time we clean up the clutter and protect our critical space operations.”
“The Orbital Sustainability or ORBITS Act will jumpstart the technology development we need to address the very serious problem of orbital debris that threatens our scientific satellites, human space exploration and commercial space services,” said Cantwell. “The longer we delay in taking meaningful action, the less safe our activities in orbit become.”
“Space is getting more and more crowded with debris that poses a real threat to our satellites,” said Lummis. “People in Wyoming and across the country depend on satellites for our national security, weather forecasting, wildfire monitoring, GPS navigation, and communications essential for our way of life. The ORBITS Act addresses this growing challenge and helps maintain safe human spaceflight operations above the earth. This bipartisan solution will protect America’s interests in space for generations to come.”
“The ORBITS Act would address a key aspect of the complex space debris problem. We should be empowering NASA to partner with the U.S. space industry in active debris removal technology to tackle space junk threats. The United States is the world’s premier spacefaring nation, and I look forward to continuing our leadership,” said Wicker.
The ORBITS Act passed the Senate in the 118th Congress.
Space junk, or orbital debris, currently threatens human space exploration, scientific research missions, and emerging commercial space services. There are approximately 8,000 metric tons of debris currently in orbit, including at least 900,000 individual pieces of debris that are potentially lethal to satellites. Because of the threats from debris already in orbit, simply preventing more debris in the future is not enough. The ORBITS Act will jumpstart a program focused on research, development, and the demonstration of technologies capable of safely carrying out successful Active Debris Remediation (ADR) missions to create a robust commercial market for these services.
In recent years, NASA canceled a planned spacewalk and maneuvered the International Space Station (ISS) to avoid colliding with orbital debris. Due to growing amounts of debris, the ISS has performed numerous Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuvers (PDAM) in the past year alone.
Specifically, the bill contains the following provisions:
- Orbital Debris Remediation List
- Directs NASA, in coordination with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and the National Space Council, to publish a list of debris objects that pose the greatest risk to the safety of orbiting spacecraft and on-orbit activities
- Directs NASA, in coordination with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and the National Space Council, to publish a list of debris objects that pose the greatest risk to the safety of orbiting spacecraft and on-orbit activities
- Active Orbital Debris Remediation Demonstration Program
- Directs NASA to establish a demonstration program to partner with industry in developing technology for remediating debris objects through repurposing or removal from orbit
- The NASA program will promote competition by incentivizing two or moreteams of technology developers to conduct demonstrations of successful debris remediation
- The NASA program will promote competition by incentivizing two or moreteams of technology developers to conduct demonstrations of successful debris remediation
- Asks NASA to partner with other nations to address debris in orbit that belongs to them
- Directs NASA to establish a demonstration program to partner with industry in developing technology for remediating debris objects through repurposing or removal from orbit
- Active Debris Remediation (ADR) Services
- Encourages the U.S. government to buy ADR services from industry partners once they succeed in the demonstration and are commercially available
- Requires an economic assessment of the long-term demand for ADR services
- Encourages the U.S. government to buy ADR services from industry partners once they succeed in the demonstration and are commercially available
- Uniform Orbital Debris Standards
- Directs the National Space Council to update the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices (ODMSP) used by U.S. government space missions
- Encourages the FAA and FCC to use the updated standards and practices as the basis for federal regulations applicable to all space activities
- Directs the U.S. to encourage other nations to align their regulations with ours to encourage effective and non-discriminatory regulation worldwide
- Encourages the FAA and FCC to use the updated standards and practices as the basis for federal regulations applicable to all space activities
- Directs the National Space Council to update the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices (ODMSP) used by U.S. government space missions
- Space Traffic Coordination Standard Practices
- Directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the National Space Council and the FCC, to develop and promote standard practices for avoiding near misses and collisions between spacecraft in orbit
Key supporters of the bill include the Aerospace Industry Association, Secure World Foundation, and CONFERS.
Full text of the ORBITS Act is available HERE.
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