The September 2025 issue of ESSI's Orbitwise newsletter – a round-up of general space sustainability news – has been published
11 September 2025
The September 2025 issue of ESSI's Orbitwise newsletter – a round-up of general space sustainability news from around the world – has been published. It features news from Europe relating to the proposed EU Space Act and a new ESPI report addressing the key challenges arising from the cislunar environment. In the UK, a sustainability Space Leaderboard has been published and the UK Space Agency has launched a £75.6m tender for the nation's first Active Debris Remove mission. Meanwhile in Japan, Astroscale Japan has announced the “REFLEX-J” (Refuelling Experiment for Life Extension – Japan) mission to develop and demonstrate autonomous satellite refuelling in LEO.
EUROPE
ESA awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Thales Alenia Space to carry out the mission consolidation study for the SIRIUS project (Space Based Infra-Red Imager for Urban Sustainability). SIRIUS, part of ESA’s Earth Observation FutureEO programme, aims to observe European cities from space using thermal infrared (TIR) data. The objective is to better understand the effect of urban heat islands (UHIs) on local climate conditions. UHIs are “areas in cities where higher temperatures are recorded than in the surrounding rural areas, as a result of heat accumulation on impermeable surfaces, sparse vegetation, and human activity.”ESPI releases report focusing on cislunar activity
The European Space Policy Institute’s (ESPI) new report, “Towards a Safe and Sustainable Cislunar Space: Policy Priorities for European Engagement”, addresses the key challenges arising from the cislunar environment, reviews existing European and international policy measures in place, and makes the case for strengthening European involvement. The report identifies three priority areas: space situational awareness (SSA) and traffic management, debris and end-of-life measures, and space weather impacts. It concludes that further investment in cislunar safety is needed for Europe to pursue lunar exploration effectively.European Commission proposes EU Space Act
The European Commission has proposed new measures “to make Europe’s space sector cleaner, safer and more competitive in Europe and its export markets”. The EU Space Act focuses on three pillars: safety, resilience, and sustainability. The EU Space Act will:- Strengthen debris tracking and enforce safe end-of-life processes for satellites
- Require satellite risk assessments to counter cyber and electronic threats
- Establish common rules to measure the environmental impacts of space activities
Alongside the EU Space Act, the European Commission has released a Vision for the European Space Economy. It outlines over 40 actions to strengthen the European space ecosystem, including launching a “Space Team Europe”, increased support for innovation and investment, monitoring and competitiveness tools, and international cooperation.
New signatories of ESA’s 'Statement for a Responsible Space Sector'
ESA’s Statement for a Responsible Space Sector, created and adopted in November 2022, promotes cooperation to build a more responsible space sector and establish a framework to tackle global challenges.At the end of May 2025, a signatory event in Gdańsk welcomed six new signatories: AGH University of Science and Technology, CloudFerro, Creotech Instruments, ELPROMA, Radmor and Scanway.
Additionally, at the Paris Airshow in June, Victor Maier, of The Exploration Company, and Miguel Angel Molina Cobos, of GMV, signed the Statement. Cavu Aerospace UK, REACHLaw, and OrbiSky also signed remotely.
UK
Sustainability of Space releases comprehensive analysis of its Space Leaderboard
Ahead of the UK Space Conference in July 2025, Sustainability of Space released a report assessing sustainability performance across more than 500 space-related organisations operating in, or from, the UK. The report describes the methodology and metrics behind the Space Leaderboard, which “represents a practical and pragmatic bridge between state-of-the-art space sustainability research, emerging high-bar reporting standards, and what is practically achievable today by companies.” The Space Leaderboard builds on frameworks from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Earth Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI) itself.The findings reveal clear progress in sustainability reporting, with 19% of organisations now disclosing (up from 13% in 2024). However, significant gaps remain: most disclosures neglect space-specific risks and few firms that provide environmental data report on their own impacts. Notably, only one of the top ten performers is UK-based, highlighting that while the UK has made progress, momentum in sustainability reporting is currently being driven internationally.
UK Space Agency launches new procurement process to tackle space debris
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has launched a £75.6 million tender for the nation’s first Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission. In this mission, a spacecraft equipped with British robotic and autonomous navigation technology will capture and safely deorbit two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit. UKSA is searching for a single supplier to deliver the five-year contract, with plans for launch by the end of 2028.Joanne Wheeler, Director of the Earth & Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI), said: “ESSI is very encouraged by this announcement. For the past three years, we have been developing sets of Space Sustainability Principles that will facilitate the establishment of the Space Sustainability Standards to ultimately ensure the sustainable use of outer space, covering the lifecycle of a satellite – from launch to decommissioning. The proposed ADR mission is a significant step in the right direction to achieving such sustainability and governance of ISAM activities, which the UK can lead on.”
Independent Report on Stage 1 of the Regulatory Sandbox for RPO published
In August 2025, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) published an independent report on the Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) sandbox. The sandbox, held by the RPO Operators Consortium of Astroscale, ClearSpace and D-Orbit, sought to explore the legal and regulatory challenges which surround RPO missions, which include in-orbit servicing (IOS) and ADR missions. The sandbox examined a minimum viable product to “reveal current bottlenecks in licensing, legislation, policy and guidance.” The report sets out the sandbox’s recommendations for future policy, principally around clarifying existing legislation, and sets the groundwork for stages 2 and 3 which will employ more detailed simulations.ASIA
Astroscale Japan announces “REFLEX-J” mission for in-orbit refuelling
Astroscale Japan has announced the “REFLEX-J” (Refuelling Experiment for Life Extension – Japan) mission to develop and demonstrate autonomous satellite refuelling in low Earth orbit. Eddie Kato, Managing Director of Astroscale Japan, says: “Refuelling plays a pivotal role in extending satellite lifetimes, reducing the need for new launches, and unlocking greater mission flexibility by overcoming fuel constraints.”Supported by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), REFLEX-J will combine robotics, computer vision and fuel transfer systems, building on Astroscale’s existing Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) technologies. Following ground testing, the project aims for an in-orbit demonstration around 2029.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- World Space Business Week will occur from 15-19 September 2025 in Paris, France. Register for this event.
- The 26th Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference will take place from 16-19 September 2025 in Maui, Hawaii, with sessions addressing technological innovations, policy development and international collaboration. Sign up for the conference.
- ESA will hold a Second Workshop on the Atmospheric Impacts of Spacecraft Launch and Re-entry from 23-25 September. This seeks to identify scientific gaps and explore further regulation.
- The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) will be held from 29 September-3 October 2025 in Sydney, Australia. This year’s theme is ‘Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth’.
- World Space Week will occur from 4-10 October 2025. Find an event near you.
- The ITU’s second Space Sustainability Forum will take place on 7-8 October 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. Key discussions will focus on managing satellite constellations, advancing exploration from Low Earth Orbit to Lunar, and achieving an effective Space and Spectrum Situational Awareness (S3A).
- The 7th Summit for Space Sustainability will take place on 22–23 October 2025 at the Centre de Conférences Pierre Mendès France in Paris, France. Co-hosted by Secure World Foundation, CNES and the Government of France, the event will bring together stakeholders to discuss policy, security, commercial services and environmental impacts on space sustainability.
- The 19th European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) Autumn Conference will be held on 28-29 October 2025 in Vienna, Austria. This year’s conversations will focus on ‘Europe as a Space Power – Directionality & Priorities of Strategic Action’.
- UNOOSA will hold a Conference on Commercial Lunar Landscapes in Vienna, Austria on 17-18 November 2025. This will examine the safety, sustainability and needs of commercial lunar operations for future policy.
- UNOOSA’s Conference on Space Law and Policy will be held on 19-20 November 2025 in Vienna, Austria, with a focus on Space Sustainability and the Rescue and Return agreement.