Sustainable Horizons – Innovative Approaches to Environmental Assessment and Funding for Space Sustai

The space sector is rapidly growing, with an anticipated increase in satellites and missions in the coming years, particularly focusing on the Moon. The significant rise in space activities poses a threat from space debris, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices to be implemented. Space sustainability is crucial to balance resource consumption, conservation, and promote responsible use of terrestrial and extraterrestrial domains. The concept of space sustainability has evolved over time, initially overlooked in international treaties but gaining more attention in recent years. Initiatives such as the Paris Agreement, NASA's Artemis Accords, and the UN COPUOS Space2030 Agenda are emphasizing the importance of environmental sustainability in space activities. The focus is now shifting towards lunar sustainability, with efforts to create assessment tools for evaluating the sustainability of lunar missions and integrating spin-in strategies from other sectors to support research into sustainable technologies. Models like the ACARP are being considered to provide financial support for sustainable practices in the space sector.