Medium

Launch site soil contamination

Spillage of propellants and combustion byproducts contaminate soil and groundwater at launch facilities.

ESA Clean Space Initiative EU

ESA Clean Space Initiative Policy

European Space Agency programme targeting environmental sustainability in space activities.

Jurisdiction: EU

Open source

Components

Fuel Cells Propulsion System

Lifecycle Stages

Journey to Launch Launch

Environmental Concerns

Ground Contamination

Obligations (1)

Environmental impact assessment for launch sites

Medium

Launch operators must conduct environmental impact assessments covering soil, water, air quality, and wildlife impacts at and around launch facilities.

ESA Clean Space Initiative EU

ESA Clean Space Initiative Policy

European Space Agency programme targeting environmental sustainability in space activities.

Jurisdiction: EU

Open source

Opportunities (2)

Green propellant adoption

High

Transition to non-toxic propellants such as AF-M315E or LMP-103S to eliminate hydrazine-related risks and simplify handling procedures, reducing costs and environmental impact.

ESA Clean Space Initiative EU

ESA Clean Space Initiative Policy

European Space Agency programme targeting environmental sustainability in space activities.

Jurisdiction: EU

Open source

Reusable launch vehicles

High

Support development of fully reusable launch systems to dramatically reduce per-launch environmental impact and cost.

ESA Clean Space Initiative EU

ESA Clean Space Initiative Policy

European Space Agency programme targeting environmental sustainability in space activities.

Jurisdiction: EU

Open source