Space Professionals Partnership complete Cislunar Post Mission Disposal Study

9th May 2025

Space Professionals Partnership Ltd (SPPL) have completed a study for the UK Space Agency to investigate Post Mission Disposal Options in the Cislunar environment. The study undertook a critical analysis of various Cislunar post mission disposal options considering the impacts over the shorter, medium and longer term.  Factors including mission design, technology maturity, cost and risk were considered for each disposal option.  A set of recommendations were presented to the UK Space Agency including potential future work in the Cislunar space economy.

SPPL are utilising depth and breadth of experience through its partnership network of associate consultant professionals.  The team, included Matthew Stuttard, Mini Rai, Matthew Wills and Adit Shah, and we are seeking to present the summary of the report and findings at the UK Space Conference in Manchester in July later this year, and at other future events.

Dr Mamatha Maheshwarappa, Head of Research and Development within Office of the Chief Engineer at the UK Space Agency said:

“We funded this pilot study on cislunar post mission disposal, as it is increasingly important to ensure sustainable and safe operations on and around the Moon; for which new procedures need to be put into practice. Space Professionals Partnership has successfully completed the work, examined the pros, cons and risks of different mission disposal options, and producing a unified picture of effectiveness for each disposal method. Given the sustainability challenges that the cislunar environment presents, the UK Space Agency wants to support the development of new guidelines for the sustainable use of cislunar space. This work will feed directly into international forums, through the UK’s membership of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), among others.”