Applicants are required to provide an Orbital Debris Mitigation (ODM) Plan addressing Commision rules as part of the application process. These documents aim to provide practical guidance to applicants on our orbital debris mitigation rules and address common queries about the application process.
The following documents are provided to assist applicants in preparing an ODM Plan:
- Orbital Debris FAQ
- Orbital Debris Mitigation (ODM) Plan Checklist
- ODM Plan Checklist – Streamlined Small Space Stations
- ODM Plan Checklist – Streamlined Small Spacecraft
- ODM Plan Pre-Drafting Worksheet
NASA’s Debris Assessment Software (DAS) provides a tool, ideally used during spacecraft design, that enables applicants to address many of the requirements in the Commission’s rules. This tool must be requested via NASA, and is regularly updated (as of February 2024, DAS was 3.2.5). Applicants should check that they are utilizing the latest version. The current version is identified on the NASA DAS request page. For questions pertaining to NASA’s DAS, consult NASA’s Debris Assessment Software User Guide.
The FCC’s rules include additional disclosures beyond those that NASA DAS outputs. An Orbital Debris Mitigation (ODM) Plan includes these additional disclosure requirements. Furthermore, including the output DAS requirement compliance matrix, and the inputs and output of the NASA DAS code in the ODM Plan, can aid in the application review process.
For context and background, below are relevant Commission documents related to orbital debris: