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Space Launch Impact on Climate and Environment

Project description

Research for sustainable space launch systems

Space infrastructure, exploration, and utilisation have driven new technologies, critical discoveries, and essential services, while also offering valuable insights into climate change. However, the recent rise in launch rates may harm the environment. Also, major knowledge gaps remain regarding the operational, lift-off, and landing phases of launches. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SLICE project aims to address these challenges by creating a research and training programme that combines space engineering with climate science. Its goal is to provide crucial insights and close knowledge gaps in the life-cycle analysis of space launch systems.

Objective

Space utilisation plays a crucial role in understanding climate change, but due to a drastic increase in launch rates, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate potential environmental impacts of space activities themselves, particularly of launchers. However, large knowledge gaps persist for their operational phase from lift-off to landing/reentry. Here, the largest Global Warming Potential and Ozone Layer Depletion Potential are expected. Especially in the higher atmospheric layers, which are only accessed by launchers, potential impacts of emitted pollutants are amplified by very long retention periods and substance accumulation effects. To investigate the Space Launch Impact on Climate and Environment, SLICE will therefore develop a research and training programme that bridges the current divide between space engineering and climate science to close the gaps that exist in the Life-Cycle Analysis of space launch systems. Thus, SLICE will contribute to advance the science of climate change by investigating the three most pressing research areas of this field: Launch Vehicle Emissions, Atmospheric Interaction & Climate Impact and System Analysis & Design. This will generate actionable insights, on which SLICE will develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, accelerate the delivery of the Green Deal and establish an environmentally sustainable access to space. This will not only generate desperately needed novel results, which will enable cutting-edge innovations. It will also satisfy the pressing demand for a new generation of highly skilled and resilient researchers, trained to create and realise these necessary innovations and to develop a natural ecodesign thinking. SLICE is also highly needed to support current policy efforts, including the European Green Deal, ESA’s Agenda 2025, the upcoming EU Space Law and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) regulations at European level, including the development of PEF Category Rules (PEFCR) for space.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-DN-01

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Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 580 544,64
Address
HELMHOLTZSTRASSE 10
01069 DRESDEN
Germany

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Region
Sachsen Dresden Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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Participants (11)

Partners (18)

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