U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Hickenlooper have introduced the Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at reducing orbital debris in space. This initiative seeks to address the increasing risks posed by space debris and uphold American leadership in space activities. The ORBITS Act is designed to protect critical satellite capabilities essential for national security, weather forecasting, wildfire monitoring, GPS navigation, and communications.
Senator Lummis emphasized the importance of addressing space debris, stating that “space is getting more and more crowded with debris that poses a real threat to our satellites.” She highlighted the dependence on satellites for various essential services across Wyoming and the nation. According to Lummis, this legislation will contribute to maintaining safe human spaceflight operations and protecting America’s interests in space for future generations.
Senator Hickenlooper also underscored the urgency of cleaning up Earth’s orbit: “Dangerous debris in Earth’s orbit threatens American satellites and jeopardizes future space exploration missions.” He called for action to protect critical space operations from potential disruptions caused by cluttered orbits.
The ORBITS Act mandates NASA and other federal agencies to address these concerns actively. As per NASA’s estimates from January 2022, over 9,000 metric tons of space debris are currently orbiting Earth, raising alarms about possible impacts on satellite functionality.
For those interested in further details about the legislation, the full bill text is available online.
