Orbital Debris
NSS Orbital Debris Policy Program:
- Orbital Debris Policy Program Summary (September 2022)
- Orbital Debris 101: An NSS Guide to the Orbital Debris Issue and Its Management
NSS Position Papers on Orbital Debris:
- NSS Response to Request for Comment: Comment on Orbital Debris Research and Development Plan December 2021 [PDF]
- NSS Position Paper: An SPD-3 and NAPA Informed Model for a Safe and Sustainable Space Economy: Six Recommendations September 2020 [PDF]
- NSS Position Paper: Space Debris Removal, Salvage, and Use: Maritime Lessons October 2019 [PDF]
- NSS Position Paper: Orbital Debris: Overcoming Challenges May 2016 [PDF]
NSS Position Statements on Orbital Debris:
- NSS Statement on the Orbital Sustainability Act of 2022 (ORBITS Act) September 2022
- Joint Letter from NSS, AIAA, and SWF on Expanded Role of the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) in Space Sustainability [PDF] and similar press release September 2022
- NSS Position Statement: The National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan September 2022
- NSS Position Statement: NSS Statement on Russia ASAT Test December 2021
For collaboration, comments, or inquiries, please contact the Orbital Debris Policy Program Manager Adam Brodkin at [email protected].
Orbital Debris Blog Posts:
Space Forum January 26: Turning Orbital Trash into Space Treasure
The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum Thursday, January 26, 2023, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EDT Turning Orbital Trash into Space Treasure With Al Anzaldua Register for this Space Forum Al Anzaldúa Member, NSS Board of Directors and NSS Policy...
NSS Statement on the Orbital Sustainability Act of 2022 (ORBITS Act)
This week on September 12 the Orbital Sustainability Act of 2022 (ORBITS Act) was introduced to the Senate. The bipartisan bill, championed by Senators Maria Cantwell, John Hickenlooper, Cynthia Lummis, and Roger Wicker, would “establish a demonstration program for...
Leading Space Organizations Join in Support of Expanding the OSC’s Role in Orbital Debris Management
The National Space Society (NSS), the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), and the Secure World Foundation (SWF) issue a joint letter on the importance of further elevating and funding the Office of Space Commerce (OSC). NSS, AIAA, and SWF...
NEWSPACE BASICS: What is Space Sustainability?
By Dale Skran A term you will hear in many modern space discussions is “space sustainability.” Few space-related terms are used to mean such a wide variety of completely different things, which can be extremely confusing for the “unschooled.” Making matters worse, the...
NSS Position Statement on National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan
In July 2022, the U.S. Government issued its National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan (Debris Plan) to further address orbital debris challenges. The National Space Society (NSS) applauds the U.S. Government’s leadership in orbital debris management and reiterates...
NSS Statement on Russia ASAT Test
The National Space Society (NSS) strongly condemns the anti-satellite (ASAT) test that Russia conducted on November 15, 2021. Russia’s intentional destruction of one of its old satellites created thousands of new pieces of debris in low Earth orbit (LEO). The debris...
Lessons from the Sea to Combat Space Debris
By Leana Brown, NSS Legal Fellow In 1957 the USSR launched the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, Sputnik. Since then, increased space activity and the resulting debris have led to a potential tragedy of the commons, creating liability concerns for all States...
Space: The Final Frontier for Garbage?
By Jessica Berger, NSS Legal Fellow Pollution isn’t the first thing people usually think of when they are talking about space exploration and development. But truth be told, there is a lot of trash circling the Earth. Currently there are around 1800 operative...
An SPD-3 and NAPA Informed Model for a Safe and Sustainable Space Economy: Six Recommendations
NSS has just released a new Position Paper: "An SPD-3 and NAPA Informed Model for a Safe and Sustainable Space Economy: Six Recommendations." (Above illustration of space debris courtesy NASA.) Abstract The U.S. Administration’s Space Policy Directive-3 (SPD-3) in...
Book Review: Dr Space Junk vs The Universe
Archaeology and spaceflight are two things most people rarely ever mention in the same sentence. One is associated with excavating the ground below to learn about humanity’s past. The other involves reaching beyond the sky for a better human future. Nothing in common, right? Not if you read Dr. Alice Gorman’s book.