Green Toolkit for Space
High

Battery thermal runaway

Risk of lithium-ion batteries overheating and causing fire or explosion, potentially leading to satellite fragmentation and debris creation.
NASA Technical Report: Satellite End-of-Life Best Practices
NASA Technical Report: Satellite End-of-Life Best Practices Technical
Technical report detailing recommended approaches for satellite decommissioning.
Journal of Space Safety Engineering
Journal of Space Safety Engineering Academic
Peer-reviewed academic journal covering safety aspects of space activities.
Components
Batteries Power System
Lifecycle Stages
Operational Deployment End of Life
Environmental Concerns
Space Debris Generation

Obligations (1)

End-of-life passivation requirement

High
Satellites must be passivated at end of life — all stored energy sources (batteries, fuel, pressurised systems) must be depleted to prevent accidental explosions.
ISO 24113 — Space Debris Mitigation International
ISO 24113 — Space Debris Mitigation Technical

This document defines the primary space debris mitigation requirements applicable to all elements of unmanned systems launched into, or passing through, near-Earth space, including launch vehicle orbital stages, operating spacecraft and any objects released as part of normal operations.

Issuing body
ISO
Jurisdiction
International
Date published
1 May 2023
Open source (opens in a new tab)
UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines International
UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines Policy
United Nations guidelines for mitigating space debris in Earth orbits.
Jurisdiction
International
Open source (opens in a new tab)