This week, Senators Hickenlooper, Lummis, Cantwell and Wicker introduced the Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act, a bi-partisan bill that, if passed, will create a demonstration program for actively removing debris from space and improve space traffic coordination. As an organization focused exclusively on the long-term sustainability of space activities for benefits on Earth, Secure World Foundation commends this bill and supports this approach to dealing with the threat of space debris.

Over the last decade, we have seen the risk posed by space debris continue to grow for all space actors - whether they be commercial, governmental or civilian - which threatens our ability to continue to access space and the wide range of benefits from space activities. The United States has long been a leader in promoting efforts to mitigate the creation of future debris, but has so far lagged behind other countries in developing capabilities to remove and remediate existing space debris.

The ORBITS Act is an important initiative to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities. It complements several other initiatives put forward by the last two presidential administrations, including the first-ever U.S. National Space Traffic Management Policy, the National Orbital Debris Research and Development Plan, and the recently released National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan. The bill reinforces US leadership in supporting the continued safety, stability, security, and sustainability of space activities that benefit all nations.

We believe the ORBITS Act is a significant next-step in solving one of the greatest challenges to space activities today.