Space Sustainability: How to design more sustainable missions

In recent years, the exponential growth of spatial activities, driven in part by the expanding commercial use of space, has yielded promising business opportunities. However, this expansion has also left behind a significant challenge – an ever-increasing population of space debris, with over 40,000 objects currently observable in Earth’s orbit. With the number of satellite launches continuing to increase, ensuring the enduring viability of this vital frontier for future generations is critical.. As active participants in space agencies and aerospace industries, how can we secure the long-term usability of space? And, how can we design and operate missions and space businesses with a keen focus on sustainability?

Course objectives:

1. Understand what space sustainability means (history, geopolitical challenges, latest research updates) and how to measure it from economic, societal and environmental perspectives
2. Acquire tools and methodologies to develop more sustainable missions (ESA’s MASTER and DRAMA suite, Space Sustainability Rating, Life Cycle Assessment & Environmental Impact Assessment, etc.)
3. Grasp how the space sector can benefit from the adoption of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approaches
4. Engage with space sustainability researchers, industry experts, and fellow members of the space community

Nongraded

Space stakeholders (engineers, scientists, non technical managers, policy practitioners, etc.) active in space agencies, aerospace industries or related fields and concerned about preserving the sustainability and safety of the space environment in the long-term.