Value chain · CLM-1379
In plain terms
ESA's current life-cycle guidance tells analysts not to use the spending-based method for space hardware, because it seems to overstate environmental impact in the space sector.
The claim as recorded
ESA's Space System LCA Guidelines, ESSB-HB-U-005 Issue 2 Rev. 0 (19 December 2025), section 5.4.2, find input-output analysis problematic for space systems and conclude "It is thus recommended not to apply I/O data for LCA of space systems." The reason given is that applying I/O data "appears to overestimate an environmental impacts". The handbook bases this on four factors: the space industry is not a completely free market, components have an extremely high cost per weight, no consolidated space-sector databases exist, and monetary flows are scaled differently from other sectors.
Evidence behind this: T3, the grade of the agency handbook SRC-738.
Scope and limits
This is Issue 2. SRC-009 (2024) cites the 2016 Issue 1, which Issue 2's change record (PDF p.2) says was distributed for ESA official use only; Issue 1 is not held. SRC-009's quoted words "overestimate the environmental impacts" are NOT in Issue 2 PDF pp.26-28, which read "overestimate an environmental impacts" (the control: that string is found on p.27). Whether Issue 1 printed SRC-009's wording is open. Section 5.4.1 on the same page says secondary-data LCAs "tend to produce underestimates of the environmental impacts". That is about generic secondary process data, not EEIO, and should not be read as ESA endorsing SRC-009's underestimation point.
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
PDF p.27, quoted complete: "The combination of the above factors makes the application of I/O data for LCA of space systems difficult as it appears to overestimate an environmental impacts. It is thus recommended not to apply I/O data for LCA of space systems." The four factors are the bullets above that sentence on the same page. PDF p.1: "Issue 2 Rev. 0", "19 December 2025". PDF p.2, change log: "First issue", "31 October 2016".
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-008 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1379
CLM-1379, Energy Aperture, as of 2025-12.