Under a new rating system, it will soon be possible to assess the social, economic and environmental impact of space missions. The consortium behind the initiative, which includes the World Economic Forum (WEF), has tasked EPFL’s Space Center (eSpace) with finalizing the assessment criteria and implementing the system in this fast-changing field.
Have mission planners done enough to avoid creating new orbital debris? Are the components and structures reusable? What materials has the team used? Questions like these reflect growing concerns over the sustainability of space missions. A new rating system, which scores missions based on a range of markers and compliance with international guidelines, is set to provide the answers. EPFL’s Space Center (eSpace) has been given the task of finalizing and implementing it.
Source: “A universal definition of space sustainability is hard to find”, EPFL News
