The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is seeking public comments on a research and development plan for orbital debris.
OSTP will use feedback and recommendations to help inform the development of an implementation plan that the National Science and Technology Council’s orbital debris interagency working group plans to release in the calendar year 2022, according to a request for comments published Friday in Federal Register.
“Implementing this plan will close critical gaps in the knowledge and capabilities needed to meet current and growing challenges of orbital debris risk management,” the notice reads.
OSTP said the R&D plan classifies the orbital debris research topics and challenges into three areas: tracking and characterizing debris; limiting debris generation by design and remediating or repurposing debris.
The request seeks responses to five questions, including near-term actions the federal government can take to advance towards high-priority R&D areas, opportunities to partner with local and international entities and transformative R&D activities that could help address orbital debris-related challenges.
Responses to the request are due Dec. 31st.