Ecodesigning satellites for the future

Funded by the Preparation element of ESA's Basic Activities under the SysNova Challenge, EcoSTAR call for ideas aims to demonstrate that an eco-friendly satellite platform can perform just as well as a conventional one, while cutting its environmental impact by 20% to over 40%, depending on the indicator.

Preparing for a greener future

"We are launching the EcoSTAR campaign in line with ESA's Green Agenda, which builds sustainability into the Agency's mission. In the larger international context, new regulations are taking effect which will impact the way space industry works. For example, the European Commission’s new regulations on ecodesign and Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) contain specific mentions for space. EU's European Green Deal and EU Space Law (currently in preparation) will target space sustainability, by laying down common rules for life cycle assessment of space activities", says Enrico Tormena, Systems Engineer at ESA.

"The idea of this campaign is to promote sustainability, but also to start preparing the industry in this ecological transition towards the future, which will be a complex process", he adds.

EcoSTAR is a unique opportunity for industry to explore sustainability from a system-wide perspective, and the first initiative of its kind at ESA. It aims to integrate green technologies throughout the entire lifecycle of the small satellite platform. The study will identify key environmental impacts and the most effective technologies for reducing them. It will help ESA make informed decisions on future investments, balancing environmental benefits with the costs of new technologies.

What are we looking for

"For this call we ask for first ideas, as we don't expect a full life cycle assessment (LCA). To answer the call participants should have a bit of experience with LCAs and need to know of, use or develop an existing mini-satellite platform. Although the call is not limited to companies and institutions with an existing LCA department, it is important to have a realistic business plan, with a platform for certain markets", says Agathe Carpentier, Systems Engineer at ESA.

"By starting from an existing small satellite platform we hope to ensure commercial viability and to reach the same level of performance through ecodesign as by conventional means. It's real-life system implementation, not a theoretical demonstration of how ecodesign should be done", she adds.

By the end of this campaign, ESA aims to envision a small satellite platform design with reduced environmental impact. Companies are expected to propose new technologies and more efficient processes that promote a circular economy both in orbit and on the ground, such as reducing waste and conserving water and energy during manufacturing, testing, and assembly. Additionally, the team seeks a solid commercial business plan that supports reusing both the platform and its eco-friendly design.

This SysNova challenge will be followed up with a full feasibility study under the Space Safety programme. ESA seeks to prepare with this Challenge further down the line for a co-funded approach for an In orbit demonstrator (IOD), a model that has been successful in past missions.

Send us your ideas

If you have a novel idea for the ecodesign of a small satellite platform, you can send it to ESA on the dedicated OSIP page. Here you can find all the details of the call.

"Through OSIP, we can reach a broader audience and engage new stakeholders. Our goal is to innovate for a sustainable future in space, and this Campaign under the Preparation Element of the Basic Activities is a key step in that direction.", says Leopold Summerer, Head of the Advanced Concepts and Studies Office.