Consideration of Space Debris into the Life Cycle Assessment Framework

PhD Candidate: Thibaut Maury (Airbus Safran Launcher/ University of Bordeaux)
PhD Supervisors : Guido Sonnemann & Philippe Loubet (ISM-Cyvi), Ludovic Dariol (R&T Supervisor at Airbus Safran Launchers)
Period: March 2016 – February 2019

Via the internal R&T project « Eco-space » dealing with eco-design and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Airbus Safran Launcher wished to carry on a PhD project in partnership with the CyVi group of the University of Bordeaux.

The CyVi group is a specialized research department which has gained recognition for its expertise in Life Cycle Assessment methodologies and sustainable assessment studies. The PhD thesis is entitled “Consideration of Space Debris into the Life Cycle Assessment Framework.”

LCA has been identified by ESA, Airbus Safran Launchers and others actors of the space industry as the most adequate tool in order to measure the environmental impact of spacecraft missions. Nevertheless, the current scope of the studies adopts a cradle to launch pad approach and does not take into account the end-of-life disposal of the spacecraft. Yet, it is becoming a crucial point of the space mission design due to the future increase of the orbital population composed in a major part by space debris.

Three main sustainable concerns dealing with end-of-life disposal should be addressed:

•  If the end-of-life disposal is not managed, the risk of collision with other space objects will increase. If the collision leads to a partial or a total loss of functionality, a new mission should be re-planned to offset this loss.
•  Atmospheric re-entry after the end of the mission causes a partial or total demiseability of materials due to combustion and sublimation. The environmental impacts induced by the re-entry into the high atmosphere are not addressed today and need further developments in order to characterise new atmospheric models and associated re-entry impacts.
• The remaining parts of the spacecraft fall down into oceans or on-ground. A local impacts on ecosystems due to the toxicity of the materials and remaining propellants should be assessed.

The present project of this thesis attempts to improve the consideration of these concerns into the traditional LCA methods with the creation of dedicated environmental indicators. The priority has been given to the integration of space debris related impacts during on-life in orbit and end-of-life stages into the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) framework. The goal is to broaden the scope of LCA for space systems. In order to address space debris issues in a comprehensive way, an impact pathway linking elementary flows to environmental mechanisms (midpoint) and damages (endpoint) should be defined with associated specific characterization factors.

The first results of the thesis have been presented at the SETAC Europe 2016 – LCA Case Study Symposium (Montpellier – FR, September 20th) with an oral presentation entitled “ Considering operating orbits of outer space into a new LCIA resource framework”.