Clean, Green, & Mission-Ready:

Ethical & Sustainable Practices in Space Manufacturing

Building Space Systems with Earth in Mind

The space sector has a unique opportunity: to embed sustainability into its industrial foundation from the start. Forward-looking manufacturers are beginning to implement lifecycle assessments (LCAs) to evaluate the total environmental impact of materials, components, and systems from raw extraction to end-of-life disposal.

Companies are adopting greener materials and looking for ways to reduce emissions in high-energy manufacturing processes like casting, forging, and additive fabrication. For example, efforts are underway to shift composite layup procedures to lower-VOC resins and replace certain metal treatments with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

NASA, through its Environmental Management Program, has set a precedent for sustainable procurement, waste reduction, and pollution prevention across its facilities. Many of its contractors and partners are aligning with these same standards to remain competitive and compliant.

Ethical Sourcing and Critical Minerals

Space systems often rely on rare earth elements and specialty metals like tantalum, niobium, and cobalt, materials frequently sourced from regions with weak environmental protections or questionable labor practices. As demand grows, so does scrutiny of these supply chains.

Organizations are taking action. The Sustainable Markets Initiative, launched by King Charles III, advocates for responsible sourcing and traceability standards in critical industries, including aerospace. At the same time, government-backed certifications and compliance frameworks, such as the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, are being adopted by manufacturers aiming to uphold ethical mining practices.

Several companies in the space sector are investing in urban mining and closed-loop recycling of metals from electronics to reduce dependence on virgin extraction. These circular economy models are gaining traction, especially as space electronics evolve rapidly and obsolescence cycles shorten.

Labor Practices and Global Accountability

Sustainability also means ensuring that space manufacturing is driven by fair labor practices. As the industry grows globally, ensuring safe working conditions, fair wages, and inclusive hiring is essential, not just for ethical compliance but for building a resilient, values-aligned workforce.

Multinational companies are beginning to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting into their operations. These reports provide transparency into workforce diversity, community engagement, emissions output, and ethical conduct helping customers, partners, and regulators assess risk and trustworthiness.

Meanwhile, multilateral frameworks like the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) are expanding discussions of Earth-based environmental accountability for space activities. These conversations are shaping voluntary guidelines and expectations for sustainable conduct that extend beyond national borders.

A Blueprint for Sustainable Ascent

The future of the space economy doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet that launched it. By designing manufacturing systems with ethics and sustainability at their core, the industry can lead by example and demonstrating how high-growth, high-tech sectors can operate responsibly in the 21st century.

Space inspires humanity to reach higher. But the way we build for space determines how far, and how justly, we go.