Circular space economy: A review of innovative sustainable waste management

Abstract

The rapid increase of orbital debris, now consisting of tens of thousands of objects (larger than 1 cm), large enough to be tracked, together limited resources, highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices to space activities. This review explores the emerging applications of circular economy principles in space waste management, specifically with reference to what is utilized inside spacecraft, orbiting station and future space bases in order to maximize resource recovery and materials reuse. A broad yet structured literature search across major databases was carried out. Studies based on their relevance to in‑orbit recycling, bioregenerative systems, debris valorization and closed‑loop manufacturing were selected. The analytical strategy combined thematic mapping with keyword co-occurrence visualization based on VOSviewer to uncover emerging research clusters and highlight underexplored areas within the literature. Major contributions include (i) advancing the concept of space circularity by conceptualizing debris as feedstock for in situ manufacturing, emphasizing the potential to transform space debris into usable resources and (ii) mapping enabling technologies, such as hyperspectral imaging for waste classification, biological carbon reactors for urine recycling and in‑space additive manufacturing of bioplastic components. The systematic review carried out using the PRISMA method has paved the way for a forward‑looking research agenda that bridges theoretical insight and operational innovation in the space sector. Furthermore, the findings are valuable for policymakers, practitioners and academics, as they intend to provide future research focused on developing innovative, sustainable approaches for long-term in-space habitation. This includes strategies for extended stays on space stations located far from Earth, such as deep space habitats or orbital platforms beyond Earth’s orbit.