The ORBITS Act creates a NASA-run demonstration program to clean up dangerous "orbital debris" — dead satellites, spent rocket parts, and other junk circling Earth — and authorizes $150 million over fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to fund it. Within 90 days, the Secretary of Commerce must publish a public list of debris objects that could be safely remediated, and within 180 days NASA must launch a competitive award program open to U.S. companies, universities, and nonprofits to develop and demonstrate debris-removal technology. NASA would brief Congress within 30 days of standing up the project and file annual progress reports, and federal agencies could later buy commercial debris-removal services through open, milestone-based competition. The bill also directs the National Space Council to update the government's Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, reassessed at least every five years, and to develop shared rules for coordinating on-orbit space traffic. Any of the $150 million left unobligated by September 30, 2030 would be rescinded by the end of that year. The measure grants NASA no new regulatory authority over space activities.
Corporate Benefits
- Federal competitive awards — Created for commercial space firms to develop debris-removal tech
- Federal procurement market — Agencies authorized to buy commercial debris-remediation services
Transparency & Accountability
- Public debris list — Commerce must publish identified orbital debris on a public website
- Congressional reporting — NASA must brief and file annual status reports on the project
- Standard-practices review — Debris mitigation practices reassessed at least every 5 years
- Remediation demand assessment — Office of Space Commerce must publish a 10-year demand estimate
Congressional Summary
Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025 or the ORBITS Act of 2025This bill requires specified agencies to support research and develop guidance on the remediation of orbital debris (human-made space objects that are no longer in use and can harm active satellites and space activities).Under the bill, the Department of Commerce must maintain a list of orbital debris that may be remediated to improve safety and sustainability in space. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) must establish a demonstration project to make competitive awards for research and development leading to the remediation of listed debris. NASA must ultimately select and partner with an entity to carry out a demonstration mission using technology capable of on-orbit remediation. After the first demonstration mission, NASA must report to Congress with recommendations to improve orbital debris remediation.The bill also authorizes NASA and other relevant agencies to contract for orbital debris remediation services.Separately, the National Space Council, in coordination with specified agencies, must update the existing U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices. This update must consider planned space systems (e.g., satellite constellations) and address factors including collision risk and post-mission disposal of space systems. The updated standard practices must be used to inform future federal regulations related to orbital debris and international discussions related to nongovernment space activities.Finally, Commerce, in coordination with specified federal entities, must facilitate the development of standard practices for coordinating space traffic and promote their adoption and use for domestic and international space missions.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-06-18
- Date Added
- 2026-07-14
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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