From Blue Planet to Green Orbits – How Ecodesign is leading the sustainable transformation of the space sector

For two days, the ESTEC building in Noordwijk, located close to the North Sea, became the central hub for experts across Europe to discuss the latest advancements in space ecodesign.

Airbus Protect, a trusted partner to the space industry for years, was also in attendance, highlighting our expertise in safety, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

What is Ecodesign?

The ISO 14006 standard [1]  defines ecodesign as “a systematic approach, which considers environmental aspects in design and development with the aim to reduce adverse environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product”. 

Implementing ecodesign requires a “life cycle thinking” approach which means making environmental considerations at every stage of a product life cycle (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: A typical product life cycle.

In practice, this means evaluating the pros and cons of a decision also in terms of its environmental impacts, comparing it to other options, to gain a net benefit. It is a way to include environmental considerations in all the life stages of a product, trying to minimise its negative impacts and unlock benefits. Like any other design approach, trade-offs are necessary. When ecodesign is concerned, specialist knowledge on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), dedicated tools, and methodologies are essential. This is an area Airbus Protect excels at, reinforced by a long-term partnership with the space sector on holistic sustainability and environmental assessment topics.

Over the course of the two days, both new and familiar concepts in this field were presented. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was at the heart of many case studies. LCA is a powerful tool but it still presents many challenges for the space sector.

Whilst data quality is key to achieve accurate LCA results, it can also prove a challenge due to the nature of the products being analysed. Data is not always available for all the stages of a space mission and assumptions need to be made. For example, greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions at launch are not well characterised. Equally, the environmental impact of objects’ re-entry into the atmosphere and into the oceans are also not fully understood. ESA is leading further studies in an effort to first characterise these mission phases in order to mitigate their impacts on the whole life cycle of space systems. Space projects are often the result of international collaborations, often involving multiple private and public sector actors. This adds a layer of complexity in relation to data governance to ensure IP and confidentiality protection. The burden of data collection for products that are often unique also adds to the challenge, making the exercise a time-intensive one.

The space sector is acutely aware of these roadblocks and it is actively working to overcome them. For years, ESA have been working on LCA, developing dedicated guidelines for the analysis of space products and a data inventory database to support it. The database, which can be downloaded from the ESA portal, is intended to help LCA practitioners in the space sector, by providing a reliable, baseline dataset, which can be used when primary data is missing. The Handbook and the database are regularly updated. This year, they will be accompanied by the Ecodesign Policy, which will be presented later in the year.

Institutional support and drive: EU Space Act and PEFCR For the Space Sector

The space sector is at the core of European security and it underpins the communication network we rely on daily. There is strong institutional support to enhance and the sustainability of the sector as demonstrated by the EU Space Act proposal published in July and currently under revision by the European Commission.

The EU Space Act covers the safety, resilience and sustainability of the space sector. Whilst sustainability is only a small part of the proposed legislation, it represents a key step forward.

First of all, it aims to harmonise environmental requirements across Member States and the overall value chain, creating a level playing field across Europe and the global value chain. Some Member States have already passed legislation for their respective national space sectors, making the coordination of requirements at international level more difficult to manage.

Secondly, it puts LCA and Environmental Assessment at the heart of the sustainability requirements, making the analysis mandatory to obtain a licence to launch or operate. Each product will need to have an Environmental Footprint Declaration (EFD), obtained through a third-party validation process of the calculations performed using common rules. To ensure consistency across all actors, a common database will be available.

The implementation of these rules will certainly boost research and development in challenging areas, as the Space Act, if approved, will affect all products starting in 2030.

Alongside the EU Space Act, PEFCR (Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules) for the Space Sector is also being developed. The initiative aims at the development of compliant datasets, shared among stakeholders, to enable and simplify space-sector specific environmental assessments. PEFCR for Space is currently looking for Supporting Studies to start the data collection and validate the methodology to be used in the future. The data collected as part of PEFCR will be anonymised and aggregated to protect the confidentiality of the data, IP, competitive advantage and national security. It will require a robust data governance and policy, especially to enable the transnational exchange of data and information.

Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR)

“The Environmental Footprint methods provide meticulous guidelines for modelling, calculating, and reporting life cycle environmental impacts of products and organisations. The Environmental Footprint methods build upon established international practices and standards, such as ISO 14000/44. These methods are instrumental in advancing towards a more sustainable economy by providing producers and buyers with the tools they need to make informed and more sustainable choices.”

The Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) provides the rules and guidelines for specific product categories or sectors. The aim of the PEFCR is to create a consistent set of guidelines, which make the results repeatable and comparable among a class of products.

PEFCR for the Space sector is following the same approach, aiming to deliver:

• standardised methods for the environmental assessments of space products,
• greater transparency and accountability in environmental reporting,
• accelerated innovation, promoting the development of sustainable technologies,
• dedicated datasets,
• enhanced industry collaboration, to further drive sustainable innovation.

The road to simplification

Rules and database commonality will simplify the environmental assessment. But this is not the only simplification being investigated or needed. Indeed, attention is increasingly shifting towards the early phases of design to provide an estimate of environmental impacts to make sure the “right” decisions are made at the “right” moment.

It is common knowledge that, during the design process, the cost of change increases as the maturity increases (Fig. 2). This is why life cycle thinking is paramount. Only when we consider the environmental impacts across the entire life cycle of a product from its inception, can we ensure that the right trade-offs are made to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones.

However, from an environmental assessment point of view, design freedom often translates to uncertain and incomplete data, undermining the backbone of the process. Prospective and scenario analyses therefore become a crucial tool to compare different design options in the early stages of design [2].

Fig. 2: Inverse relationship between Design Freedom and Project Costs on a Product Development (Maturity) scale

Making the “right” decision also means involving all stakeholders. Often, environmental impact data are expressed in units and metrics that may appear obscure to managers and stakeholders not involved in the calculation process. This is why life cycle thinking is paramount. Only when we consider the environmental impacts across the entire life cycle of a product from its inception, can we ensure that the right trade-offs are made to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones.

After a day and a half of very interesting presentations, the message is clear: the space sector is taking sustainability and ecodesign seriously. There are still challenges ahead, and a lot of work to be done to harmonise a complex, multi-national value chain, but the commitment is real.

How Airbus Protect can help the space sector to become more sustainable and resilient

With its aerospace heritage, Airbus Protect has extensive knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in the space sector and can help you navigate the technical and regulatory fields. With over 1700+ experts and offices in Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain, and Belgium, Airbus Protect has been supporting the sustainability, safety and resilience of the space industry for years. Check out our sustainability portfolio here.

Ecodesign and Life Cycle Assessment: At Airbus Protect, we help organisations transform environmental ambition into tangible design and operational practices. By combining proven eco-design methods with deep expertise in LCA, we support clients in assessing their environmental footprint and identifying opportunities to reduce it – without compromising performance. Our teams work closely with clients to anticipate the environmental impact of projects from the start, develop more circular approaches, and ensure critical resources are used wisely. We embed sustainability into every phase of the lifecycle, building long-term value and resilience.

Sustainability consulting: Our experts bring a deep understanding of sustainability strategy, corporate governance, and sector-specific certification pathways (e.g. DOA/POA in aerospace). We don’t just guide compliance; we co-develop roadmaps for responsible innovation, efficient processes, and robust risk oversight. We support clients across all phases of the transformation journey from regulation monitoring and impact assessments to the deployment of robust sustainability management systems.

Substances and materials: Growing environmental concerns and raw materials scarcity are translating into more stringent, constantly evolving standards and regulations on substances and materials. This is making sustainability compliance increasingly complex – particularly for global businesses. We monitor various environmental regulations at the substance level, such as the EU REACH, RoHS Directive, the EU Battery Regulation, and the EU Critical Raw Materials Act among others, and we provide a concise strategy to comply with them. We are a trusted partner for any industrial player looking to boost its business resilience while enhancing sustainability compliance.

Future industry processes and technologies: At Airbus Protect, we help industrial pioneers safely bring innovation to life. Our multidisciplinary teams guide technology development projects from Research & Technologies to Industrialisation, ensuring that emerging solutions are ready for real-world integration into tomorrow’s programmes.

With expertise on assembly technologies, electrification, and process safety, we support companies in building future-proof operations. We don’t just prepare for change – we shape it, ensuring that innovation meets regulatory, societal, and safety expectations.

Training support: In today’s complex, volatile and fast-moving business landscape, continuous training and development is crucial to ensuring your teams are working effectively and complying with relevant regulation. Our safety and security training programmes are designed to help you do exactly that. Combining cutting-edge expertise with state-of-the-art content and teaching techniques, we deliver a unique learning experience that will transform your employees. Check our Training Catalogue here.

Our expertise goes beyond sustainability. Airbus Protect also offers holistic solutions also in the field of Safety and Cybersecurity. With more than 30 years of experience in risk and safety management and a strong innovation DNA, we’re trusted by the major aerospace actors to secure the future of transportation. Check out our safety portfolio here.

Whether you’re developing next-gen satellite or telecommunication system, we bring:

• Safety: We anticipate and mitigate risk, enhancing product and operational safety across domains.
• Performance: We contribute to the development, testing and optimisation of critical systems to support operational excellence.
• Compliance: We ensure your products are aligned with certification requirements, current regulations and emerging standards.

We don’t just follow safety norms – we help shape them. By collaborating closely with regulators and authorities, we support the definition of new safety policies and are recognised by standardisation bodies such as AFNOR. 

At Airbus Protect, we have a long heritage of providing industry-leading cybersecurity solutions and consulting services to a wide range of industries. These include aerospace and aviation, defence, transportation, manufacturing, energy, critical infrastructure, governments, and institutions (https://www.protect.airbus.com/cybersecurity/)

We’re proud of our Airbus DNA, which enables us to help you:

• Create a forward-looking cybersecurity strategy and governance
• Manage all manner of cyber risks
• Ensure regulatory compliance
• Keep your security measures up to date
• Improve operational efficiency and reduce downtime

References

[1] International Organisation for Standardisation. (2020) Environmental management systems — Guidelines for incorporating ecodesign (ISO Standard 14006:2020). https://www.iso.org/standard/72644.html

[2] Conte R., Barbieri A., Treviso A., Ambrogio G. (2025) A framework for LCA analysis of low TRL products: towards a sustainable approach in early development stages. Procedia Computer Science, Volume 253 (3151-3159).