Dive Brief:

• As part of the Clean Space initiative, the European Space Agency is seeking ideas for materials that are recyclable or are able to be turned into a resource for another process.
• The terrestrial industry is interested in a sustainable solution in space, such as changing planetary probes or satellites into a fuel or water source for other missions launched in the future.
• ​ESA is searching for companies to study different concepts in its "Sustainable Materials Concepts" program that can find new approaches to reusable materials.

Dive Insight:

Biodegradable materials have been used in the past, to create an innovative approach to repurposing, such as the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative, which is a closed-loop life support system made using microbes and plants. Alternative ideas include breaking down used rocket fuel for reuse or heating organic materials to use the gas for a different purpose.