The green circularity: Life cycle assessments for the space industry

Abstract

The rapid growth of the global space industry opens the door to an increasing volume and variety of space activities at the same time that companies are increasingly recognizing the value of environmentally responsible business practices. The environmental impacts of space activities are particularly challenging to understand and address given their complexity and distribution across different domains and industries. Multiple key areas still suffer from a lack of research, leaving critical knowledge gaps. Environmental life cycle assessments (E-LCAs) are one tool that can be applied to understand the space sector's cradle-to-grave impacts across space and terrestrial environments. Specifically, an E-LCA can identify circular economy opportunities to reduce waste and pollution by quantifying the environmental impacts of space missions or systems over their entire life cycle.11“Life cycle” as a term is in a state of flux. ISO standardized this term as two words. However, in the United States, this term is still often a single word: “lifecycle.”This paper provides an overview of environmental and sustainability trends and offers options for the U.S. government, and Department of Defense (DOD) in particular, to consider and adopt E-LCAs in space acquisitions. As both DOD and civilian spacefaring agencies seek reduced environmental footprints, E-LCAs can motivate the space industry to improve designs, practices, and realize operational and economic efficiencies.Additionally, the U.S. government is in a strong position, as a large and influential buyer of space systems, to support the harmonization of E-LCA methodologies and frameworks with international partners. Such efforts could catalyze a sustainable space industry while building transparency and trust for all stakeholders.