Speakers
Description
Constellations of LEO satellites, used mainly for telecommunications and imaging, are growing exponentially (EPRS, Sept. 2025). If the sector continues on this trajectory, more than 100,000 LEO satellites will be in orbit by 2030, compared with around 10,000 today (ESA 2025). As well as raising questions of sovereignty at European level (Starlink currently operates the largest constellation, and estimates suggest this will remain the case in the future), this expansion is causing environmental concerns. Indeed, the impacts remain difficult to assess for many reasons: the complex chemistry of the stratosphere, which is very different from that of the troposphere, making it difficult to produce reliable impact factors; a lack of transparency from industry players regarding manufacturing processes; and the absence of methodological standardisation within the sector, amongst others.
To address this, the European Commission (in collaboration with industry stakeholders) is currently drafting the PEFCR4Space, which will become the methodological reference for space life-cycle assessments. This will establish a methodological framework and ensure comparability across studies.
However, it does not (yet) address concerns regarding data confidentiality.
Currently, the studies carried out by the sector’s stakeholders are considered too sensitive for their results to be shared externally. However, many players in other industries (such as telecommunications) offer services that rely on space infrastructure. They therefore need access to this footprint data to be able to carry out a complete (end-to-end) LCA of their services, which is currently not possible due to a lack of reliable data.
To address this need, we have recently produced environmental data for satcoms (LEO satellites and launchers) for ADEME. This data will soon be available in the Empreinte Database.
We see great potential for parametric LCA in the space sector and, as we have done for the digital sector, we wish to develop parametric models for this sector. For over three years now, Resilio has been developing its own environmental database for IT, ResilioDB. This dynamic parametric approach makes it unique as it offers far greater transparency and makes updates much easier.
The problems in the space sector this approach addresses? It provides a variable level of granularity, depending on the user’s level of information.
How? By pre-filling the model with default values for the parameters. For the time being, these are drawn from the literature, but eventually they will be supplied directly by the industry for even greater precision (using average, benchmark value to ensure data confidentiality). Users with access to highly detailed information can change the default values to better reflect their reality, whilst others will have access to average data (admittedly imperfect, but transparent and reliable).
We will present our parametric approach for a LEO satellite and launch vehicle model during the Clean Space days in order to explore its potential and test its reliability directly with industry stakeholders and experts!