ORBITS Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1898 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1898

  To establish a demonstration program for the active remediation of
orbital debris and to require the development of uniform orbital debris
 standard practices in order to support a safe and sustainable orbital
                  environment, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2025

   Mr. Hickenlooper (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Wicker, and Ms.
    Lummis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To establish a demonstration program for the active remediation of
orbital debris and to require the development of uniform orbital debris
 standard practices in order to support a safe and sustainable orbital
                  environment, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025''
or the ``ORBITS Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The safety and sustainability of operations in low-
        Earth orbit and nearby orbits in outer space have become
        increasingly endangered by a growing amount of orbital debris.
            (2) Exploration and scientific research missions and
        commercial space services of critical importance to the United
        States rely on continued and secure access to outer space.
            (3) Efforts by nongovernmental space entities to apply
        lessons learned through standards and best practices will
        benefit from government support for implementation both
        domestically and internationally.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that to
preserve the sustainability of operations in space, the United States
Government should--
            (1) to the extent practicable, develop and carry out
        programs, establish or update regulations, and commence
        initiatives to minimize orbital debris, including initiatives
        to demonstrate active debris remediation of orbital debris
        generated by the United States Government or other entities
        under the jurisdiction of the United States;
            (2) lead international efforts to encourage other
        spacefaring countries to mitigate and remediate orbital debris
        under their jurisdiction and control; and
            (3) encourage space system operators to continue
        implementing best practices for space safety when deploying
        satellites and constellations of satellites, such as
        transparent data sharing and designing for system reliability,
        so as to limit the generation of future orbital debris.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Active debris remediation.--The term ``active debris
        remediation''--
                    (A) means the deliberate process of facilitating
                the de-orbit, repurposing, or other disposal of orbital
                debris, which may include moving orbital debris to a
                safe position, using an object or technique that is
                external or internal to the orbital debris; and
                    (B) does not include de-orbit, repurposing, or
                other disposal of orbital debris by passive means.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
        Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
        Administration.
            (3) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee
                on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee
                on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Armed
                Services of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee
                on Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on
                Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Armed Services of
                the House of Representatives.
            (4) Demonstration project.--The term ``demonstration
        project'' means the active orbital debris remediation
        demonstration project carried out under section 4(b).
            (5) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a United States-based--
                            (i) non-Federal, commercial entity;
                            (ii) institution of higher education (as
                        defined in section 101(a) of the Higher
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))); or
                            (iii) nonprofit organization;
                    (B) any other United States-based entity the
                Administrator considers appropriate; and
                    (C) a partnership of entities described in
                subparagraphs (A) and (B).
            (6) Orbital debris.--The term ``orbital debris'' means any
        human-made space object orbiting Earth that--
                    (A) no longer serves an intended purpose; and
                    (B)(i) has reached the end of its mission; or
                    (ii) is incapable of safe maneuver or operation.
            (7) Project.--The term ``project'' means a specific
        investment with defined requirements, a life-cycle cost, a
        period of duration with a beginning and an end, and a
        management structure that may interface with other projects,
        agencies, and international partners to yield new or revised
        technologies addressing strategic goals.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of Commerce.
            (9) Space traffic coordination.--The term ``space traffic
        coordination'' means the planning, coordination, and on-orbit
        synchronization of activities to enhance the safety and
        sustainability of operations in the space environment.

SEC. 4. ACTIVE DEBRIS REMEDIATION.

    (a) Prioritization of Orbital Debris.--
            (1) List.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
        Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of
        State, the National Space Council, and representatives of the
        commercial space industry, academia, and nonprofit
        organizations, shall publish a list of select identified
        orbital debris that may be remediated to improve the safety and
        sustainability of orbiting satellites and on-orbit activities.
            (2) Contents.--The list required under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) shall be developed using appropriate sources of
                data and information derived from governmental and
                nongovernmental sources, including space situational
                awareness data obtained by the Office of Space
                Commerce, to the extent practicable;
                    (B) shall include, to the extent practicable--
                            (i) a description of the approximate age,
                        location in orbit, size, mass, tumbling state,
                        post-mission passivation actions taken, and
                        national jurisdiction of each orbital debris
                        identified; and
                            (ii) data required to inform decisions
                        regarding potential risk and feasibility of
                        safe remediation;
                    (C) may include orbital debris that poses a
                significant risk to terrestrial people and assets,
                including risk resulting from potential environmental
                impacts from the uncontrolled reentry of the orbital
                debris identified; and
                    (D) may include collections of small debris that,
                as of the date of the enactment of this Act, are
                untracked.
            (3) Public availability; periodic updates.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
                list required under paragraph (1) shall be published in
                unclassified form on a publicly accessible internet
                website of the Department of Commerce.
                    (B) Exclusion.--The Secretary may not include on
                the list published under subparagraph (A) data acquired
                from nonpublic sources.
                    (C) Periodic updates.--Such list shall be updated
                periodically.
            (4) Acquisition, access, use, and handling of data or
        information.--In carrying out the activities under this
        subsection, the Secretary--
                    (A) shall acquire, access, use, and handle data or
                information in a manner consistent with applicable
                provisions of law and policy, including laws and
                policies providing for the protection of privacy and
                civil liberties, and subject to any restrictions
                required by the source of the information;
                    (B) shall have access, upon written request, to all
                information, data, or reports of any executive agency
                that the Secretary determines necessary to carry out
                the activities under this subsection, provided that
                such access is--
                            (i) conducted in a manner consistent with
                        applicable provisions of law and policy of the
                        originating agency, including laws and policies
                        providing for the protection of privacy and
                        civil liberties; and
                            (ii) consistent with due regard for the
                        protection from unauthorized disclosure of
                        classified information relating to sensitive
                        intelligence sources and methods or other
                        exceptionally sensitive matters; and
                    (C) may obtain commercially available information
                that may not be publicly available.
    (b) Active Orbital Debris Remediation Demonstration Project.--
            (1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
        of the enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of
        appropriations, the Administrator, in consultation with the
        head of each relevant Federal department or agency, shall
        establish a demonstration project to make competitive awards
        for the research, development, and demonstration of
        technologies leading to the remediation of selected orbital
        debris identified under subsection (a)(1).
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the demonstration project
        shall be to enable eligible entities to pursue the phased
        development and demonstration of technologies and processes
        required for active debris remediation.
            (3) Procedures and criteria.--In establishing the
        demonstration project, the Administrator shall--
                    (A) establish--
                            (i) eligibility criteria for participation;
                            (ii) a process for soliciting proposals
                        from eligible entities;
                            (iii) criteria for the contents of such
                        proposals;
                            (iv) project compliance and evaluation
                        metrics; and
                            (v) project phases and milestones;
                    (B) identify government-furnished data or
                equipment;
                    (C) develop a plan for National Aeronautics and
                Space Administration participation, as appropriate, in
                technology development and intellectual property rights
                that--
                            (i) leverages National Aeronautics and
                        Space Administration Centers that have
                        demonstrated expertise and historical knowledge
                        in measuring, modeling, characterizing, and
                        describing the current and future orbital
                        debris environment; and
                            (ii) develops the technical consensus for
                        adopting mitigation measures for such
                        participation; and
                    (D)(i) assign a project manager to oversee the
                demonstration project and carry out project activities
                under this subsection; and
                    (ii) in assigning such project manager, leverage
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers
                and the personnel of National Aeronautics and Space
                Administration Centers, as practicable.
            (4) Research and development phase.--With respect to
        orbital debris identified under paragraph (1) of subsection
        (a), the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable and
        subject to the availability of appropriations, carry out the
        additional research and development activities necessary to
        mature technologies, in partnership with eligible entities,
        with the intent to close commercial capability gaps and enable
        potential future remediation missions for such orbital debris,
        with a preference for technologies that are capable of
        remediating orbital debris that have a broad range of
        characteristics described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) of that
        subsection.
            (5) Demonstration mission phase.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall evaluate
                proposals for a demonstration mission, and select and
                enter into a partnership with an eligible entity,
                subject to the availability of appropriations, with the
                intent to demonstrate technologies determined by the
                Administrator to meet a level of technology readiness
                sufficient to carry out on-orbit remediation of select
                orbital debris.
                    (B) Evaluation.--In evaluating proposals for the
                demonstration project, the Administrator shall--
                            (i) consider the safety, feasibility, cost,
                        benefit, and maturity of the proposed
                        technology;
                            (ii) consider the potential for the
                        proposed demonstration to successfully
                        remediate orbital debris and to advance the
                        commercial state of the art with respect to
                        active debris remediation;
                            (iii) carry out a risk analysis of the
                        proposed technology that takes into
                        consideration the potential casualty risk to
                        humans in space or on the Earth's surface;
                            (iv) in an appropriate setting, conduct
                        thorough testing and evaluation of the proposed
                        technology and each component of such
                        technology or system of technologies; and
                            (v) consider the technical and financial
                        feasibility of using the proposed technology to
                        conduct multiple remediation missions.
                    (C) Consultation.--The Administrator shall consult
                with the head of each relevant Federal department or
                agency before carrying out any demonstration mission
                under this paragraph.
                    (D) Active debris remediation demonstration
                mission.--It is the sense of Congress that the
                Administrator should consider maximizing competition
                for, and use best practices to engage commercial
                entities in, an active debris remediation demonstration
                mission.
            (6) Briefing and reports.--
                    (A) Initial briefing.--Not later than 30 days after
                the establishment of the demonstration project under
                paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the
                appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the
                details of the demonstration project.
                    (B) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year after the
                initial briefing under subparagraph (A), and annually
                thereafter until the conclusion of the 1 or more
                demonstration missions, the Administrator shall submit
                to the appropriate committees of Congress a status
                report on--
                            (i) the technology developed under the
                        demonstration project;
                            (ii) progress toward the accomplishment of
                        the 1 or more demonstration missions; and
                            (iii) any duplicative efforts carried out
                        or supported by the National Aeronautics and
                        Space Administration or the Department of
                        Defense.
                    (C) Recommendations.--Not later than 1 year after
                the date on which the first demonstration mission is
                carried out under this subsection, the Administrator,
                in consultation with the head of each relevant Federal
                department or agency, shall submit to Congress a report
                that provides legislative, regulatory, and policy
                recommendations to improve active debris remediation
                missions, as applicable.
                    (D) Technical analysis.--
                            (i) In general.--To inform decisions
                        regarding the acquisition of active debris
                        remediation services by the Federal Government,
                        not later than 1 year after the date on which
                        an award is made under paragraph (1), the
                        Administrator shall submit to Congress a report
                        that--
                                    (I) summarizes the cost-
                                effectiveness, and provides a technical
                                analysis of, technologies developed
                                under the demonstration project;
                                    (II) identifies any technology gaps
                                addressed by the demonstration project
                                and any remaining technology gaps; and
                                    (III) provides, as applicable, any
                                further legislative, regulatory, and
                                policy recommendations to enable active
                                debris remediation missions.
                            (ii) Availability.--The Administration
                        shall make the report submitted under clause
                        (i) available to the Secretary, the Secretary
                        of Defense, and other relevant Federal
                        departments and agencies, as determined by the
                        Administrator.
            (7) Sense of congress on international cooperation.--It is
        the sense of Congress that, in carrying out the demonstration
        project, it is critical that the Administrator, in coordination
        with the Secretary of State and in consultation with the
        National Space Council, cooperate with one or more partner
        countries to enable the remediation of orbital debris that is
        under their respective jurisdictions.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section
$150,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
    (d) Rescission of Unobligated Funds.--Unobligated balances of
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by subsection (c) as
of September 30, 2030, shall be rescinded not later than December 31,
2030.
    (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to grant the Administrator the authority to issue any regulation
relating to activities under subsection (b) or related space activities
under title 51, United States Code.

SEC. 5. ACTIVE DEBRIS REMEDIATION SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--To foster the competitive development, operation,
improvement, and commercial availability of active debris remediation
services, and in consideration of the economic analysis required by
subsection (b) and the briefing and reports under section 4(b)(6), the
Administrator and the head of each relevant Federal department or
agency may acquire services for the remediation of orbital debris,
whenever practicable, through fair and open competition for contracts
that are well-defined, milestone-based, and in accordance with the
Federal Acquisition Regulation.
    (b) Economic Analysis.--Based on the results of the demonstration
project, the Secretary, acting through the Office of Space Commerce,
shall publish an assessment of the estimated Federal Government and
private sector demand for orbital debris remediation services for the
10-year period beginning in 2026.

SEC. 6. UNIFORM ORBITAL DEBRIS STANDARD PRACTICES FOR UNITED STATES
              SPACE ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the National Space Council, in coordination with
the Secretary, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the
Federal Communications Commission, and the Administrator, shall
initiate an update to the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices
that--
            (1) considers planned space systems, including satellite
        constellations; and
            (2) addresses--
                    (A) collision risk;
                    (B) explosion risk;
                    (C) casualty probability;
                    (D) post-mission disposal of space systems;
                    (E) time to disposal or de-orbit;
                    (F) spacecraft collision avoidance and automated
                identification capability; and
                    (G) the ability to track orbital debris of
                decreasing size.
    (b) Consultation.--In developing the update under subsection (a),
the National Space Council, or a designee of the National Space
Council, shall seek advice and input on commercial standards and best
practices from representatives of the commercial space industry,
academia, and nonprofit organizations, including through workshops and,
as appropriate, advance public notice and comment processes under
chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Publication.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, such update shall be published in the Federal
Register and posted to the relevant Federal Government internet
websites.
    (d) Regulations.--To promote uniformity and avoid duplication in
the regulation of space activity, including licensing by the Federal
Aviation Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission, such update,
after publication, shall be used to inform the further development and
promulgation of Federal regulations relating to orbital debris.
    (e) International Promotion.--To encourage effective and
nondiscriminatory standards, best practices, rules, and regulations
implemented by other countries, such update shall inform bilateral and
multilateral discussions focused on the authorization and continuing
supervision of nongovernmental space activities.
    (f) Periodic Review.--Not less frequently than every 5 years, the
Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices referred to in subsection
(a) shall be assessed and, if necessary, updated, used, and promulgated
in a manner consistent with this section.

SEC. 7. STANDARD PRACTICES FOR SPACE TRAFFIC COORDINATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary
of Defense and members of the National Space Council and the Federal
Communications Commission, shall facilitate the development of standard
practices for on-orbit space traffic coordination based on existing
guidelines and best practices used by Government and commercial space
industry operators.
    (b) Consultation.--In facilitating the development of standard
practices under subsection (a), the Secretary, through the Office of
Space Commerce, in consultation with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, shall engage in frequent and routine
consultation with representatives of the commercial space industry,
academia, and nonprofit organizations.
    (c) Promotion of Standard Practices.--On completion of such
standard practices, the Secretary, the Secretary of State, the
Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator, and the Secretary of
Defense shall promote the adoption and use of the standard practices
for domestic and international space missions.
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