ORBITS Act of 2025
Key claim: The ORBITS Act of 2025 requires Commerce to list remediable orbital debris, NASA to run a competitive on-orbit remediation demonstration and report recommendations, the National Space Council to update U.S. orbital debris mitigation standard practices for large constellations, and agencies to promote space-traffic coordination standards.
Abstract
(S1898 · 119th Congress) Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025 or the ORBITS Act of 2025 This 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. Latest action (2026-06-18): Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 440.
Why this matters
Orbital debris and space-traffic coordination have long relied on voluntary practices and interagency memoranda; the ORBITS Act would convert several of these into statutory mandates, giving Commerce, NASA, and the National Space Council explicit authority over a debris inventory, a remediation demonstration, updated mitigation standards for large constellations, and STC interoperability. For satellite operators and emerging on-orbit servicing firms, this signals a shift from best-practice guidance toward a more codified regulatory baseline in an under-legislated domain.