The Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs, or CRSRA, division within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Commerce has begun soliciting public comments regarding potential new instructions on the disposal of on-orbit satellites to mitigate orbital debris.
Through the request for information, NOAA aims to determine whether to issue supplementary guidance or launch a narrow rulemaking concerning efforts related to its disposal condition to reduce potential adverse effects, according to a notice posted in the Federal Register on Friday.
CRSRA has requested that interested stakeholders offer their insights on the benefits and drawbacks of clarifying the oversight of remote sensing system disposal and orbital debris mitigation under its current authority.
According to the RFI, the division had required companies applying for remote sensing licenses to submit a disposal and orbital debris mitigation plan for two decades but eliminated this requirement in 2020 after updating its regulations.
“To avoid duplicative regulation, Commerce opted to defer to FCC license requirements regarding orbital debris and spacecraft disposal, and therefore removed license conditions requiring specific orbital debris or spacecraft disposal practices in final rule,” the RFI notes.
However, the CRSRA has seen a growing number of multinational remote sensing systems and an uptick of providers choosing to get radiofrequency licenses from other countries while seeking a license in the U.S.
Interested parties can also suggest the type and content of documentation regarding disposal and orbital debris mitigation plans that the agency should need if it decides to exercise its existing authority for spacecraft disposal and orbital debris mitigation.
CRSRA is also asking the public to note any orbital debris mitigation and disposal considerations that are unique to remote sensing systems and describe ways by which the division could evaluate compliance with the license requirement concerning the disposition of satellites.
Comments are due April 8.