Obama's New Space Policy Includes Cleaning Up Space Junk

Announced earlier this week, President Obama's new National Space Policy is focusing on pollution both here on Earth and the space surrounding it. The new policy hopes to see an international collaboration to hone in on monitoring climate change with satellites and cleaning up space debris, which is viewed as a threat to space exploration (to which some astronauts experiencing close calls can attest!).Popular Science writes, "The biggest news is Obama's focus on international cooperation, a departure from his predecessor. Specifically, he wants countries to work together to clean up space junk, which the Pentagon has said is a threat. The 14-page document also explains how the U.S. will use space to study Earth, and how NASA will cede ground to the private sector, working with commercial firms to develop new modes of space transport."