Active debris remediation

(a) Prioritization of orbital debris (1) List Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the National Space Council, and representatives of the commercial space industry, academia, and nonprofit organizations, shall publish a list of select identified orbital debris that may be remediated to improve the safety and sustainability of orbiting satellites and on-orbit activities. (2) Contents The list required under paragraph (1)— (A) shall be developed using appropriate sources of data and information derived from governmental and nongovernmental sources, including space situational awareness data obtained by the Office of Space Commerce, to the extent practicable; (B) shall include, to the extent practicable— (i) a description of the approximate age, location in orbit, size, mass, tumbling state, post-mission passivation actions taken, and national jurisdiction of each orbital debris identified; and (ii) data required to inform decisions regarding potential risk and feasibility of safe remediation; (C) may include orbital debris that poses a significant risk to terrestrial people and assets, including risk resulting from potential environmental impacts from the uncontrolled reentry of the orbital debris identified; and (D) may include collections of small debris that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, are untracked. (3) Public availability; periodic updates (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the list required under paragraph (1) shall be published in unclassified form on a publicly accessible internet website of the Department of Commerce. (B) Exclusion The Secretary may not include on the list published under subparagraph (A) data acquired from nonpublic sources. (C) Periodic updates Such list shall be updated periodically. (4) Acquisition, access, use, and handling of data or information In carrying out the activities under this subsection, the Secretary— (A) shall acquire, access, use, and handle data or information in a manner consistent with applicable provisions of law and policy, including laws and policies providing for the protection of privacy and civil liberties, and subject to any restrictions required by the source of the information; (B) shall have access, upon written request, to all information, data, or reports of any executive agency that the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the activities under this subsection, provided that such access is— (i) conducted in a manner consistent with applicable provisions of law and policy of the originating agency, including laws and policies providing for the protection of privacy and civil liberties; and (ii) consistent with due regard for the protection from unauthorized disclosure of classified information relating to sensitive intelligence sources and methods or other exceptionally sensitive matters; and (C) may obtain commercially available information that may not be publicly available. (b) Active orbital debris remediation demonstration project (1) Establishment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator, in consultation with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency, shall establish a demonstration project to make competitive awards for the research, development, and demonstration of technologies leading to the remediation of selected orbital debris identified under subsection (a)(1). (2) Purpose The purpose of the demonstration project shall be to enable eligible entities to pursue the phased development and demonstration of technologies and processes required for active debris remediation. (3) Procedures and criteria In establishing the demonstration project, the Administrator shall— (A) establish— (i) eligibility criteria for participation; (ii) a process for soliciting proposals from eligible entities; (iii) criteria for the contents of such proposals; (iv) project compliance and evaluation metrics; and (v) project phases and milestones; (B) identify government-furnished data or equipment; (C) develop a plan for National Aeronautics and Space Administration participation, as appropriate, in technology development and intellectual property rights that— (i) leverages National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers that have demonstrated expertise and historical knowledge in measuring, modeling, characterizing, and describing the current and future orbital debris environment; and (ii) develops the technical consensus for adopting mitigation measures for such participation; and (D) (i) assign a project manager to oversee the demonstration project and carry out project activities under this subsection; and (ii) in assigning such project manager, leverage National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers and the personnel of National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers, as practicable. (4) Research and development phase With respect to orbital debris identified under paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable and subject to the availability of appropriations, carry out the additional research and development activities necessary to mature technologies, in partnership with eligible entities, with the intent to close commercial capability gaps and enable potential future remediation missions for such orbital debris, with a preference for technologies that are capable of remediating orbital debris that have a broad range of characteristics described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) of that subsection. (5) Demonstration mission phase (A) In general The Administrator shall evaluate proposals for a demonstration mission, and select and enter into a partnership with an eligible entity, subject to the availability of appropriations, with the intent to demonstrate technologies determined by the Administrator to meet a level of technology readiness sufficient to carry out on-orbit remediation of select orbital debris. (B) Evaluation In evaluating proposals for the demonstration project, the Administrator shall— (i) consider the safety, feasibility, cost, benefit, and maturity of the proposed technology; (ii) consider the potential for the proposed demonstration to successfully remediate orbital debris and to advance the commercial state of the art with respect to active debris remediation; (iii) carry out a risk analysis of the proposed technology that takes into consideration the potential casualty risk to humans in space or on the Earth’s surface; (iv) in an appropriate setting, conduct thorough testing and evaluation of the proposed technology and each component of such technology or system of technologies; and (v) consider the technical and financial feasibility of using the proposed technology to conduct multiple remediation missions. (C) Consultation The Administrator shall consult with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency before carrying out any demonstration mission under this paragraph. (D) Active debris remediation demonstration mission It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator should consider maximizing competition for, and use best practices to engage commercial entities in, an active debris remediation demonstration mission. (6) Briefing and reports (A) Initial briefing Not later than 30 days after the establishment of the demonstration project under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the details of the demonstration project. (B) Annual report Not later than 1 year after the initial briefing under subparagraph (A), and annually thereafter until the conclusion of the 1 or more demonstration missions, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a status report on— (i) the technology developed under the demonstration project; (ii) progress toward the accomplishment of the 1 or more demonstration missions; and (iii) any duplicative efforts carried out or supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the Department of Defense. (C) Recommendations Not later than 1 year after the date on which the first demonstration mission is carried out under this subsection, the Administrator, in consultation with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency, shall submit to Congress a report that provides legislative, regulatory, and policy recommendations to improve active debris remediation missions, as applicable. (D) Technical analysis (i) In general To inform decisions regarding the acquisition of active debris remediation services by the Federal Government, not later than 1 year after the date on which an award is made under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that— (I) summarizes the cost-effectiveness, and provides a technical analysis of, technologies developed under the demonstration project; (II) identifies any technology gaps addressed by the demonstration project and any remaining technology gaps; and (III) provides, as applicable, any further legislative, regulatory, and policy recommendations to enable active debris remediation missions. (ii) Availability The Administration shall make the report submitted under clause (i) available to the Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, and other relevant Federal departments and agencies, as determined by the Administrator. (7) Sense of Congress on international cooperation It is the sense of Congress that, in carrying out the demonstration project, it is critical that the Administrator, in coordination with the Secretary of State and in consultation with the National Space Council, cooperate with one or more partner countries to enable the remediation of orbital debris that is under their respective jurisdictions. (c) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section $150,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. (d) Rescission of unobligated funds Unobligated balances of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by subsection (c) as of September 30, 2030, shall be rescinded not later than December 31, 2030. (e) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to grant the Administrator the authority to issue any regulation relating to activities under subsection (b) or related space activities under title 51, United States Code.

(a) Prioritization of orbital debris (1) List Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the National Space Council, and representatives of the commercial space industry, academia, and nonprofit organizations, shall publish a list of select identified orbital debris that may be remediated to improve the safety and sustainability of orbiting satellites and on-orbit activities. (2) Contents The list required under paragraph (1)— (A) shall be developed using appropriate sources of data and information derived from governmental and nongovernmental sources, including space situational awareness data obtained by the Office of Space Commerce, to the extent practicable; (B) shall include, to the extent practicable— (i) a description of the approximate age, location in orbit, size, mass, tumbling state, post-mission passivation actions taken, and national jurisdiction of each orbital debris identified; and (ii) data required to inform decisions regarding potential risk and feasibility of safe remediation; (C) may include orbital debris that poses a significant risk to terrestrial people and assets, including risk resulting from potential environmental impacts from the uncontrolled reentry of the orbital debris identified; and (D) may include collections of small debris that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, are untracked. (3) Public availability; periodic updates (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the list required under paragraph (1) shall be published in unclassified form on a publicly accessible internet website of the Department of Commerce. (B) Exclusion The Secretary may not include on the list published under subparagraph (A) data acquired from nonpublic sources. (C) Periodic updates Such list shall be updated periodically. (4) Acquisition, access, use, and handling of data or information In carrying out the activities under this subsection, the Secretary— (A) shall acquire, access, use, and handle data or information in a manner consistent with applicable provisions of law and policy, including laws and policies providing for the protection of privacy and civil liberties, and subject to any restrictions required by the source of the information; (B) shall have access, upon written request, to all information, data, or reports of any executive agency that the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the activities under this subsection, provided that such access is— (i) conducted in a manner consistent with applicable provisions of law and policy of the originating agency, including laws and policies providing for the protection of privacy and civil liberties; and (ii) consistent with due regard for the protection from unauthorized disclosure of classified information relating to sensitive intelligence sources and methods or other exceptionally sensitive matters; and (C) may obtain commercially available information that may not be publicly available. (b) Active orbital debris remediation demonstration project (1) Establishment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator, in consultation with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency, shall establish a demonstration project to make competitive awards for the research, development, and demonstration of technologies leading to the remediation of selected orbital debris identified under subsection (a)(1). (2) Purpose The purpose of the demonstration project shall be to enable eligible entities to pursue the phased development and demonstration of technologies and processes required for active debris remediation. (3) Procedures and criteria In establishing the demonstration project, the Administrator shall— (A) establish— (i) eligibility criteria for participation; (ii) a process for soliciting proposals from eligible entities; (iii) criteria for the contents of such proposals; (iv) project compliance and evaluation metrics; and (v) project phases and milestones; (B) identify government-furnished data or equipment; (C) develop a plan for National Aeronautics and Space Administration participation, as appropriate, in technology development and intellectual property rights that— (i) leverages National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers that have demonstrated expertise and historical knowledge in measuring, modeling, characterizing, and describing the current and future orbital debris environment; and (ii) develops the technical consensus for adopting mitigation measures for such participation; and (D) (i) assign a project manager to oversee the demonstration project and carry out project activities under this subsection; and (ii) in assigning such project manager, leverage National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers and the personnel of National Aeronautics and Space Administration Centers, as practicable. (4) Research and development phase With respect to orbital debris identified under paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable and subject to the availability of appropriations, carry out the additional research and development activities necessary to mature technologies, in partnership with eligible entities, with the intent to close commercial capability gaps and enable potential future remediation missions for such orbital debris, with a preference for technologies that are capable of remediating orbital debris that have a broad range of characteristics described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) of that subsection. (5) Demonstration mission phase (A) In general The Administrator shall evaluate proposals for a demonstration mission, and select and enter into a partnership with an eligible entity, subject to the availability of appropriations, with the intent to demonstrate technologies determined by the Administrator to meet a level of technology readiness sufficient to carry out on-orbit remediation of select orbital debris. (B) Evaluation In evaluating proposals for the demonstration project, the Administrator shall— (i) consider the safety, feasibility, cost, benefit, and maturity of the proposed technology; (ii) consider the potential for the proposed demonstration to successfully remediate orbital debris and to advance the commercial state of the art with respect to active debris remediation; (iii) carry out a risk analysis of the proposed technology that takes into consideration the potential casualty risk to humans in space or on the Earth’s surface; (iv) in an appropriate setting, conduct thorough testing and evaluation of the proposed technology and each component of such technology or system of technologies; and (v) consider the technical and financial feasibility of using the proposed technology to conduct multiple remediation missions. (C) Consultation The Administrator shall consult with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency before carrying out any demonstration mission under this paragraph. (D) Active debris remediation demonstration mission It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator should consider maximizing competition for, and use best practices to engage commercial entities in, an active debris remediation demonstration mission. (6) Briefing and reports (A) Initial briefing Not later than 30 days after the establishment of the demonstration project under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the details of the demonstration project. (B) Annual report Not later than 1 year after the initial briefing under subparagraph (A), and annually thereafter until the conclusion of the 1 or more demonstration missions, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a status report on— (i) the technology developed under the demonstration project; (ii) progress toward the accomplishment of the 1 or more demonstration missions; and (iii) any duplicative efforts carried out or supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the Department of Defense. (C) Recommendations Not later than 1 year after the date on which the first demonstration mission is carried out under this subsection, the Administrator, in consultation with the head of each relevant Federal department or agency, shall submit to Congress a report that provides legislative, regulatory, and policy recommendations to improve active debris remediation missions, as applicable. (D) Technical analysis (i) In general To inform decisions regarding the acquisition of active debris remediation services by the Federal Government, not later than 1 year after the date on which an award is made under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that— (I) summarizes the cost-effectiveness, and provides a technical analysis of, technologies developed under the demonstration project; (II) identifies any technology gaps addressed by the demonstration project and any remaining technology gaps; and (III) provides, as applicable, any further legislative, regulatory, and policy recommendations to enable active debris remediation missions. (ii) Availability The Administration shall make the report submitted under clause (i) available to the Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, and other relevant Federal departments and agencies, as determined by the Administrator. (7) Sense of Congress on international cooperation It is the sense of Congress that, in carrying out the demonstration project, it is critical that the Administrator, in coordination with the Secretary of State and in consultation with the National Space Council, cooperate with one or more partner countries to enable the remediation of orbital debris that is under their respective jurisdictions. (c) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section $150,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. (d) Rescission of unobligated funds Unobligated balances of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by subsection (c) as of September 30, 2030, shall be rescinded not later than December 31, 2030. (e) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to grant the Administrator the authority to issue any regulation relating to activities under subsection (b) or related space activities under title 51, United States Code.