S. 1898: ORBITS Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-05-22 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 440.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

ORBITS Act of 2025

Plain summary

Orbital Sustainability Act of 2025 or the ORBITS Act of 2025 This bill requires specified agencies to support research and develop guidance on the remediation of orbital debris (human-made space objects that are no longer in use and can harm active satellites and space activities). Under the bill, the Department of Commerce must maintain a list of orbital debris that may be remediated to improve safety and sustainability in space. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) must establish a demonstration project to make competitive awards for research and development leading to the remediation of listed debris. NASA must ultimately select and partner with an entity to carry out a demonstration mission using technology capable of on-orbit remediation. After the first demonstration mission, NASA must report to Congress with recommendations to improve orbital debris remediation. The bill also authorizes NASA and other relevant agencies to contract for orbital debris remediation services. Separately, the National Space Council, in coordination with specified agencies, must update the existing U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices. This update must consider planned space systems (e.g., satellite constellations) and address factors including collision risk and post-mission disposal of space systems. The updated standard practices must be used to inform future federal regulations related to orbital debris and international discussions related to nongovernment space activities. Finally, Commerce, in coordination with specified federal entities, must facilitate the development of standard practices for coordinating space traffic and promote their adoption and use for domestic and international space missions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

ORBITS Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1898, ORBITS Act of 2025 (2026-06-02)

Cosponsors on this site

Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] reported raising $9.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119s1898.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/s>

Record fed-us-cong119-s1898 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills