Birmingham City University, UK.
Birmingham City University, UK.
J Environ Manage. 2021 Jul 1;289:112511. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112511. Epub 2021 Apr 25.
The drive toward an efficient use of finite resources and the emphasis on sustainability that characterises CE (Circular Economy) models is also shared by many space projects, as summarised decades ago with the catchphrase 'Spaceship Earth'. Carrying out a comparison of the applications of circular economy models and the space industry's best practice, the article argues that the space sector represents a sort of 'native environment' for circular economy and shows how to apply more efficiently those same CE principles down to Earth. Adopting a case-study approach and using evidence from a close-loop system originally conceived for life in a space environment (ESA-MELiSSA for water treatment), this study demonstrates how the space sector is not only fully 'CE compliant' but also provides a comprehensive framework to further extend the remit of the CE philosophy. If the world economy is indeed at the onset of a new industrial revolution (the so-called Industry 4.0), the space sector can offer insights on how to this revolution can be made both inclusive and sustainable.
推动有限资源的有效利用和强调可持续性是循环经济（Circular Economy）模式的特点，这也是许多太空项目所共同追求的目标，正如几十年前的流行语“地球号太空船”所总结的那样。本文通过比较循环经济模式的应用和太空工业的最佳实践，认为太空部门代表了循环经济的一种“原生环境”，并展示了如何更有效地将相同的循环经济原则应用于地球。本研究采用案例研究方法，并使用源自最初为太空环境中的生命而设计的闭环系统（ESA-MELiSSA 用于水处理）的证据，证明了太空部门不仅完全“符合循环经济原则”，而且还提供了一个全面的框架，以进一步扩展循环经济哲学的范围。如果世界经济确实正处于新工业革命（所谓的工业 4.0）的开端，那么太空部门可以提供有关如何使这场革命具有包容性和可持续性的见解。
