Roadmap sets circular economy agenda for space hardware and debris mitigation

Every rocket launch discards large amounts of material and releases substantial greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances into the atmosphere, prompting researchers to examine how circular economy principles could be built into space activities from the outset.

In a commentary published December 1 in the Cell Press journal Chem Circularity, sustainability specialists and space scientists outline how strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials could be integrated into satellite and spacecraft design, manufacturing, in-orbit operations, and end-of-life management.

They frame their proposal as a roadmap for a circular space economy in which technologies, materials, and infrastructure are developed to

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