Orbital Debris Implementation Plan Released by the White House
An Orbital Debris Implementation Plan has been released by the White House Orbital Debris Interagency Working Group Subcommittee on Space Weather, Security, And Hazards of the National Science and Technology Council.
Orbital debris, sometimes referred to as “space junk,” is defined as human-made, non-functional objects—including fragments and elements thereof—that exist in Earth orbits or are re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. This definition is consistent with SPD-3, issued in May 2018, which stated “Orbital debris, or space debris, shall mean any human-made space object orbiting Earth that no longer serves any useful purpose.”
This Orbital Debris Implementation Plan provides tangible actions the United States will pursue to address the hazards posed by orbital debris. The Interagency Working Group (IWG) developed this plan to ensure activities related to space debris, such as monitoring the orbital debris environment, understanding the effects of space weather on satellite predictions, regulating space activities, remediating debris, and working with the international community, are coordinated efforts across U.S. Government departments and agencies. This Implementation Plan accomplishes objectives outlined in the U.S. Space Priorities Framework.
The Implementation Plan also builds upon the National Orbital Debris Research and Development (R&D) Plan published in 2021. The 2021 R&D Plan described a framework to understand orbital debris challenges and identified several R&D topic areas that could be pursued to address debris risks. The actions included in this document leverage input collected from the space community through public engagements, such as a Request for Comment, listening sessions, and workshops. The plan identifies 44 specific actions for agencies to lead across three pillars:
Debris Mitigation: Debris mitigation is defined as designing to prevent or limit the creation of new debris. It encompasses measures taken before an individual object becomes classified as debris. It includes any hardware or software configurations that would be implemented into the design of launch vehicles, satellites, or space missions and mission profiles that have the intention or outcome of minimizing the generation of debris in orbit. Add-on devices for trackability and on-board propulsion for spacecraft maneuverability, insofar as those technologies help prevent the creation of new debris, are also considered under this pillar.
Tracking and Characterization of Debris: Tracking and characterizing debris describes any technology, methodology, or modeling that involves the detection, tracking, or characterization of debris or the debris population. It includes the modeling of debris to predict where space objects will be located in the future. In addition to modeling debris population, the same technologies and methodologies may be applied to detecting, tracking, and characterizing active satellites.
Remediation of Debris: Remediation of debris refers to technologies and methods for maintaining or reducing the current debris population by active means. This definition includes Active Debris Removal (ADR) technologies, neutralizing or revival strategies, just-in-time collision-avoidance methods, and technologies related to on-orbit servicing, and rendezvous and proximity operations including the operation of grappling mechanisms, object manipulators, and capture devices. Recycling and repurposing of debris are considered in this pillar and enabled through research activities for remediation.
The Orbital Debris Implementation Plan informs the policy development process. Specific actions identified in the Plan may evolve in response to advances in technology and other factors and will be refined over time. Any commitment of federal resources to support the activities outlined in this document will be determined through the regular budget process and subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
(Source: White House Office of Science and Technology Policy)