Integrating Sustainability Issues with Socio-Economic Pressures in the Design of Space Projects

By Coralie Lhabitant, Victor Dos Santos Paulino, Christian Gnekpe, Laurent Deroin
English

This paper explores how socio-economic pressures influence the integration of environmental concerns in project of the space ecosystem. Since the 2000s, the space sector has shifted with private players and “New Space” initiatives, raising economic and political stakes while facing rising demands for sustainability. Although regulations remain limited, the concept of “space sustainability” has emerged, highlighting the need to balance the benefits of space activities with environmental preservation. This research examines tensions between social legitimacy, economic viability, political sovereignty, and ecological responsibility, framed within theories of multi-level governance that stress the interplay between industrial, institutional, and political actors. Based on a systematic literature review and expert interviews, particularly with CNES and industrials, the study analyzes how sustainability is considered in the different project’s phases. The expected outcome is to map pressures shaping eco-design practices, identify regulations and initiatives, and assess thresholds of social and economic acceptability for sustainable space activities in Europe and France.

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