White House Releases Orbital Debris R&D Plan

Today the White House released the National Orbital Debris Research and Development Plan, a report by an interagency working group under the National Science and Technology Council.

View plan at whitehouse.gov (500 KB PDF)

Pursuant to Space Policy Directive-3 and other policy guidance, the document presents a national plan of R&D to support three essential elements of orbital debris risk management:

1. Limit debris generation by design
2. Track and characterize debris
3. Remediate or repurpose debris

Within these three core elements, it prioritizes 14 topical areas for further R&D.