A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SPACE SUSTAINABILITY: CLOSING THE LOOP BETWEEN GLOBAL SPACE HEALTH INDICATORS AND LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

This paper presents an integrated framework that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), utilizing the Strathclyde Space Systems Database (SSSD), with the NEtwork model for Space SustainabilitY (NESSY) to evaluate space sustainability from both terrestrial and orbital perspectives. NESSY simulates orbital debris dynamics under various policy scenarios, while the LCA assesses environmental impacts across all mission phases on Earth. The framework produces Sustainability Indices that quantify both system-wide and mission-specific impacts. Two case studies demonstrate the framework’s potential to inform environmentally responsible space mission design. The results underscore the critical role of collision avoidance and end-of-life disposal policies. Overall, the framework supports evidence-based decision-making to mitigate long-term environmental degradation in both Earth-based and orbital domains.