S.Amdt. 3264

The ORBITS Act of 2025 (Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025) is an amendment to bill S. 2296. Its purpose is to address the growing amount of orbital debris that endangers the safety and sustainability of operations in low-Earth orbit and nearby outer space.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Active Debris Remediation: It requires the Secretary of Commerce to create a list of specific orbital debris for remediation. It also directs the NASA Administrator to establish a demonstration project to award funding for the research, development, and demonstration of technologies to remove this debris.

• Funding and Services: It authorizes $150,000,000 for the NASA Administrator from fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Additionally, it allows federal agencies to acquire active debris remediation services through open competition.

• Standard Practices: It mandates an update to the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices to address risks like collisions and explosions, and requires the development of standard practices for space traffic coordination.

• International Leadership: The amendment expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. should lead international efforts to encourage other spacefaring countries to mitigate and remediate orbital debris.