The objective of this activity is to quantitatively assess the environmental impacts of the ground segment (including control centres) of space missions, for both institutional and commercial missions. A full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study will be performed of ground stations used in European missions and methodological guidelines will be derived.

This activity aims to understand better the complete environmental impacts of space missions, filling the knowledge gaps from previous studies. This in turn allows identification of areas where impacts are concentrated (hotspots) in order to focus future attention for making improvements. This activity shall use the ESA architectural framework for the ground segment system boundary definition and potentially take into account new activities, like paperless E2E ground segment engineering and benefit from several studies already performed within the Clean Space initiative, namely: - Environmental Impact of Launchers' - Environmental Impact of Space Missions' - LCA of Space Manufacturing Processes and Materials' - LCA of Space Propellants' - Communication of LCA Results' This activity shall first define the scope of the LCA. By identifying the elements to be assessed in detail throughout the LCA study. This shall be based on the analysis of the existing preliminary models, noting areas for improvement, in particular: - Identification of all ground stations and control centres used for both institutional and commercial missions - Definition of the use of ground stations and control centres during the LEOP, commissioning and routine phase with, as a baseline Vega SSO launch for the institutional mission and Ariane 5 ECA GTO launch for the commercial mission - Modelling of a ground segment architecture to be assessed, utilising the ESA architectural framework for the definition of in- and exclusions -Definition of the specificities of each ground station or control centre, noting in particular the size of antennas, the Number of staff working, the operation time of station, the technology used for communications Based on the outcomes of Phase 1, an LCA would be performed analysing the environmental impacts related to the entire ground segment (excluding User segment) of a space mission. Specificities of the space sector should be taken into account and primary data should be acquired wherever possible. Following the LCA, a methodological framework for performing ground segment LCAs should be developed, stating the specificities of such an activity and the ways that these specificities can be resolved. The results will be presented, using guidance from the study 'Communication of LCA results'. As the impacts, relating to the ground segment will be largely dominated by electricity usage, some investigation into ways that these impacts can be reduced, and the potential reduction that could be made should be performed. Lastly, a comparison of the environmental impacts should be made with the launch and space segment, using previous studies as benchmarks.