Speaker
Description
The transition towards more sustainable space activities requires the integration of environmental considerations across all phases of design and operation, as well as the consideration of multiple impact dimensions beyond traditional performance metrics. In this context, this work presents a digital tool based on life cycle assessment (LCA) useful to support ecodesign in space launch systems, enabling the systematic evaluation of environmental impacts from early design stages to more advanced system configurations.
The proposed tool is being developed to address current gaps in the integration of sustainability aspects within the space sector, particularly the need to combine different indicators such as atmospheric emissions, resource consumption, and emerging concerns including re-entry effects. Special emphasis is placed on usability during early design phases, where rapid iteration and limited data availability require simplified, decision-oriented approaches. To this end, the tool incorporates both a detailed LCA framework and a streamlined LCA mode, aligned with established guidelines, allowing fast comparison of alternative technologies and configurations while maintaining methodological robustness.
The applicability of the tool will be demonstrated through two complementary research initiatives. First, within the RELANES project, the environmental performance of alternative launch system scenarios is assessed, including the use of renewable RP-1 fuels and the implementation of reusable first-stage technologies. The results highlight the potential of these strategies to significantly reduce life cycle impacts, particularly through decreased fossil resource use and lower emissions associated with production and launch operations. Second, within the DISAPPEAR project, the tool is applied to evaluate the substitution of conventional metallic materials with fibre-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites. These lightweight materials enable reduced structural mass, leading to lower propellant demand and associated upstream and operational impacts, while also offering advantages in manufacturing efficiency.
By integrating these use cases, the work illustrates how ecodesign strategies —such as propellant substitution, structural reuse and lightweighting— can be consistently assessed within a unified LCA-based framework. Furthermore, the inclusion of emerging impact categories, such as emissions during re-entry, contributes to advancing a more holistic perspective on space sustainability.
Overall, this contribution demonstrates that digital LCA tools, particularly when adapted to early-stage design needs, can play a key role in embedding sustainability into engineering workflows and supporting the development of next-generation environmentally responsible space systems.
| Which section would you like to submit your abstract to? | Session 12: “Towards the integration of all the open aspects in space sustainability” |
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