Speaker
Description
The increasing space activities in Low Earth Orbit have led to higher debris densities, increased collision hazards, and growing concerns about atmospheric reentry effects and long-term orbital sustainability. Prior research conducted by the Space Safety and Sustainability Project Group of the Space Generation Advisory Council has examined these issues via debris environment modeling, mitigation strategies, active debris removal concepts, and governance and legal frameworks. The studies show that risks related to debris can happen at any point in the space system lifecycle and are caused by the way design choices, operational practices, environmental processes, and regulatory constraints interact. In this situation, it makes sense to create a structured approach that can bring these points of view together in a single framework. To meet this need, the Circular Initiative for Regenerative Clean Space Lifecycle Engineering (CIRCLE) is introduced.
CIRCLE suggests a lifecycle-oriented framework that fits with Clean Space goals and is based on circular eco-design principles and decision-making at the system level. The framework brings together design strategies, choices of materials and manufacturing methods, operational practices, environmental assessments, and governance issues that affect the amount of debris produced and the effectiveness of efforts to reduce it. Debris mitigation is treated as a property that changes over time based on design choices, operational limitations, and planning for the end of life.
The suggested method uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Lifecycle models like CADMID and R10 strategies are used to plan design and operational choices across all mission phases. Design-for-demise, modular system architectures, and criteria for choosing materials aim to lower the risk of fragmentation and improve controlled reentry and disposal. Additive manufacturing and in-situ resource utilization are considered to improve repairability, reconfiguration, and resource efficiency. Life Cycle Assessment methods and structured environmental and debris-related indicators, referred to as Clean Space indicators, are used to measure environmental performance. Governance and regulation are examined through comparison with existing debris mitigation guidelines, post-mission disposal practices, and liability considerations.
The main contribution of this work is the definition of an integrative reference framework that connects debris mitigation studies, environmental assessment, and governance considerations within a consistent lifecycle structure. The framework supports interdisciplinary collaboration and system-level decision-making in early design phases. Limitations include its conceptual nature and dependence on environmental and debris modeling data. Future work will focus on case studies and quantitative validation using representative mission scenarios.
Keywords: Clean Space Initiatives, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Eco-Design Methods, Space Debris Mitigation, Design for Demise
| 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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