Speaker
Description
The growing number of space debris in the low earth orbit poses a danger to manned and uncrewed missions. Additionally, the new business model of providing internet from space is emerging among new space players, making low earth orbit more crowded. Research shows that most of the debris in low earth orbit is caused by spacecraft. Hence, a sustainable approach to running space operations is necessary. On-orbit servicing to extend the lifetime of satellites in the constellation can benefit both economic and environmental aspects. However, the preliminary literature review shows that on-orbit servicing for low-earth orbit constellations is limited to 65 satellites based on cost efficiency. Beyond 65 satellites, extending their lifetime is not cost-efficient. Therefore, a new operating concept for any constellation beyond 65 satellites is needed. Fundamental concepts and methods used in the circular economy, lifecycle assessment and its connection with the space sector are explored in detail. Then, the implementation of a circular economy in the space sector is also discussed based on previous missions and emerging business models. Based on the literature review, a sustainable circular economy system boundary for the space sector is concluded. The system boundary can be seen as an initial step towards developing a sustainable framework for implementing a circular economy for low earth orbit constellations. A hybrid method of calculating component-level mass budget based on federal communication commission data and vendor details with Starlink as a case study is also explained, which is an essential input for life cycle assessment calculation. Starlink constellation is used as a case study to get a grip on understanding the impacts on economic and environmental aspects.
