30 Advancing life cycle assessment and ecodesign for sustainable space programmes: lessons learned, industry collaboration, and the path forward

The European Space Agency (ESA) aims to address critical societal needs with its space programmes, while championing responsible space activities. In its strategy towards 2025 and 2040, the Agency aims to minimise the environmental impacts of its own operations, both on Earth and in space. To implement this vision, the Agency has adopted an ESA Green Agenda (EGA) along five high-level objectives and is updating its organizational GHG assessment on a yearly basis. In particular, ESA Green Agenda ambition to be a role model in the systematic implementation of ecodesign into space programs. With over a decade of experience in conducting life cycle assessments (LCAs) of its space programmes in collaboration with industry partners, ESA through its Clean Space office has focussed on identifyingenvironmental hotspots and ultimately integrating eco-friendly solutions into mission design. Indeed, ESA has been pioneering the application of LCA for space projects and has conducted several LCA on all the three segments of space: space segment, launch transportation segment and ground segment. The ecodesign approach starts from early development phases when trade-offs and design choices can be made. Ecodesign continues all along the project lifecycle and requires complex data gathering process, followed by a comprehensive modelling and analysis of environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of each space mission. This allows the implementation of solutions and the development of sustainable technologies roadmaps. A cornerstone of the ESA's LCA and ecodesign approach is the development tailored methodology and database specific to the unique challenges of space projects. ESA is committed to guiding the space ecosystem in this effort, aiming to streamline the process for all stakeholders, from direct suppliers to distant links in the supply chain. To this end, various working groups were created comprising ESA and partners from the space ecosystem (e.g. academia, industry). This collaborative effort allows for discussion on different key topics and focuses on co-developing best practices in data collection, experts' trainings, LCA delivery, reporting, ecodesign solutions, etc. The insights gained directly inform the ongoing update of the ESA space system LCA guidelines, providing a robust framework for conducting space-specific assessments. A notable enhancement in the recent guidelines update is the introduction of a simplified LCA approach. This innovation is crucial for performing high-level LCAs in early phases of projects, enabling the identification of ecodesign solutions in a cost-effective way, when design options are still flexible. Dedicated tools are being developed, some being specific to launchers. The presentation will delve into the challenges of conducting LCAs for space missions and explore how ESA and space industry partners are collaborating to make this process more efficient. From simplifying data collection to developing comprehensive guidelines for simplified LCAs and fostering a collaborative working group, the European space sector is paving the way for a more sustainable future in space exploration.