SPARC Policy Brief: The economic value of space debris

By Dr Beril Saadet Turnbulll and Professor Atanu Chaudhuri

Space debris is a threat to the future of space operations and poses a high-speed collision hazard for astronauts in orbit.

What is Space Debris?

ESA defines Space debris as all artificial objects, including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering the atmosphere, that are non-functional.

The Space Debris problem

• UN Sustainability guidelines define the Earth’s orbital environment as a finite resource.
• Over 20,000 objects are estimated to orbit in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by the ESA’s MASTER model with equivalent object mass over 6,000 tonnes in 2025. The total object count across all orbits reaches 39,000, with 13,500 tonnes orbiting Earth.
• Even tiny fragments travel at approximately 7–8 km/s in Low Earth Orbit (below 2,000 km) and can disable or destroy active spacecraft, creating more fragments and raising the risk of runaway “collision cascades” (Kessler Syndrome).
• The sharp increase in debris counts over the years is alarming, threatening future space operations.

From cost to opportunity

• NASA’s cost–benefit analysis indicates that recycling 50 large debris objects can be cost-effective by significantly lowering catastrophic collision risk.
• Valuable materials, including aluminium, titanium, solar-grade silicon and rare earths, present economic potential.
• Aluminium recycling in orbit and on the Moon presents significant opportunities due to its low melting point and its widespread use in spacecraft.
• Preliminary conceptual studies on Thales Alenia’s Recycling Space Plant and Orbit Recycling’s lunar facility suggest opportunities, but stronger economic justification and innovative business models are required.

Key challenges for space debris

• There is a lack of well-studied business cases promoting investment in sustainable space operation technologies.
• There is a lack of incentives for more sustainable designs, such as universal docking stations for refuelling and servicing, and for modularity aligned with eco-design principles on Earth to enable future recycling.
• Technical challenges of operating in the harsh space environment, including radiation, atomic oxygen, extreme temperature variations and high orbital velocities, limit the development of in-orbit manufacturing.
• Falling launch costs currently make a linear “take–make–waste” model more attractive in the short term than investing in circular solutions.
• Security-driven data silos in the space sector hinder circular economy innovation.
• There is a lack of governance, including global regulations and international law, or fees for leaving debris in orbit.

Circularity Potential of Space Debris

• Expanding on the traditional 3R framework (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), the 9R Framework (Refuse, Rethink, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose and Recover) has started to be studied in the space sector.
• In-orbit servicing, refuelling, active debris removal and on-orbit manufacturing, including cutting, melting, additive manufacturing and manufacturing on lunar surfaces using recycled space debris and lunar regolith, could turn selected debris into feedstock for new structures, spare parts or shielding, reducing dependence on Earth-launched materials.
• Servicing will economically benefit both launch operators and servicers.
• Technology demonstrations on 3D printing of steel and recycling of high-performance thermoplastics have already been completed.

Recommendations for the UK Government

1. Promote efficient data sharing between academia and UK space agencies to facilitate research on the space circular economy.
2. Invest in more efficient space traffic management and Space Situational Awareness to incentivise companies and organisations to adopt sustainable practices and to penalise the abandonment of debris in orbit.
3. Collaborate with other governments to develop a globally recognised and legally binding debris mitigation policy as part of implementing the “Reduce” principle within the 9R framework.
4. The majority of In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing activities are focused on Active Debris Removal, while refurbishing and recycling technologies remain conceptual with early technology readiness levels. Fund UK-based companies and universities for the development of these capabilities.

What is SPARC doing?

• Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC) is actively advancing the circular economy in space through research, partnerships and practical tools for industry.
• We work closely with small and medium-sized enterprises to develop searchable databases that make it easier to find and connect with companies working on space sustainability.
• We are assessing the economic value of space debris, on the premise that once the potential value of these materials is demonstrated, investment in circular solutions will follow.
• Through this evidence-based work, we aim to raise awareness and shift industry and policy conversations towards reuse, repair and resource recovery in orbit.
• International collaboration is central to our approach. We are working with NGOs across continents, including partners in the United States, to co-author a report on space circularity.
• In parallel, we collaborate with the European Space Agency under non-disclosure agreements, using their data to develop option-based business cases for circular pathways for large, non-manoeuvrable satellites.
• Together, these activities position SPARC as a bridge between research, policy and practice in the emerging circular space economy.

This research is funded by the Smart and Scale Initiative at Durham University Business School.