WASHINGTON - The Senate has advanced a bill that would direct NASA to support missions to remove orbital debris. NASA is outlining the role it will take assisting the U.S. Commerce Department for a new space traffic coordination system.
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act on a voice vote July 27. A version of the bill made it through the Senate last year but wasn't taken up by the House.
The ORBITS Act would empower NASA to research, develop and demonstrate key technologies to remove the debris, according to Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), lead sponsor of the bill.
The bill "ensures that the United States remains the leader in responsible and sustainable uses of outer space,” he recently said.
The bill directs NASA to establish an active debris removal program, which includes funding R&D activities to "close commercial capability gaps and enable potential future remediation missions for such orbital debris,” the bill states.
NASA would also fund a demonstration mission for debris removal and allow it and other agencies to procure debris removal services.
The version of the ORBITS Act approved by the committee is different from the version introduced earlier in 2023.
Among the changes: A section to develop a prioritized list of orbital debris to remove. In the new version, that responsibility is given instead to the Commerce Department. (Space News 08/01/23) Senate committee advances orbital debris removal bill - SpaceNews
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