ORBITS Act Funds $150M Cleanup: Government to Buy Space Junk Removal Services by 2030

If you’ve ever felt like your desk is drowning in unnecessary junk, imagine that problem scaled up to low-Earth orbit. That’s the issue the Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025 (ORBITS Act) is trying to solve. This bill is a focused effort to clean up the space environment by funding the development of new technologies and establishing clear, modern rules for operating in space, addressing the growing threat of collisions that could render entire orbital highways unusable.

The Government’s New “Debris Hit List”

First, the bill mandates a reality check. Within 90 days of enactment, the Secretary of Commerce, working with NASA and the Department of Defense, must publish a public list of the most dangerous pieces of space junk—the stuff most likely to cause a catastrophic accident. This isn’t just a random list; it’s a strategic target list, detailing the size, location, and owner of the debris. Think of it as the government identifying the biggest, rattiest old cars left abandoned on the space highway that need towing immediately. This list, which must be regularly updated, is crucial because it sets the priorities for the entire cleanup effort outlined in the rest of the bill (Sec. 4).

Putting $150 Million on the Table for Space Tow Trucks

This is where the rubber meets the road—or rather, where the thrusters meet the debris. The ORBITS Act authorizes $150 million for NASA between fiscal years 2026 and 2030 to launch a competitive demonstration project. The goal? To pay U.S. companies and universities to research, develop, and test technologies for “active debris remediation”—meaning actively grabbing or pushing junk out of orbit. This isn't just a grant program; NASA will select partners and fund a real, on-orbit demonstration mission to prove the tech works. This means a new market is opening up, creating opportunities for aerospace engineers and tech firms focused on orbital servicing. For taxpayers, this is a clear investment of public funds intended to secure critical infrastructure, like GPS and weather satellites, that underpin our daily lives and economy (Sec. 4).

From Development to Service Contract

The bill isn't just about R&D; it’s about creating a sustainable cleanup market. Following the demonstration phase, the government is authorized to begin buying debris removal services from private companies, using fair and open competition (Sec. 5). This is the key transition: moving from government-funded technology development to government procurement of commercial services. The Department of Commerce will even issue a report estimating the federal and commercial demand for these cleanup services over the next decade, providing a clear roadmap for companies looking to enter this new market.

Standardizing Space Safety: No More Wild West

Perhaps the most impactful long-term change involves the rules of the road. The National Space Council is tasked with updating the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices within one year. These standards, which haven't kept pace with the explosion of new satellite constellations (like those providing global internet), will now be mandatory guidelines for all federal agencies—including the FAA and FCC—when they license or oversee U.S. space activities (Sec. 6). The updated rules will focus on reducing collision risk, preventing spacecraft explosions, and setting clear limits on how quickly defunct satellites must de-orbit. This means that if you’re a satellite operator, you’re going to have clearer, stricter, and more uniform safety requirements, ensuring that the space environment remains usable for the next generation of space workers and consumers.