The Circular Space Economy: Review, Conceptualization, and Research Agenda for Narrowing, Slowing, and Closing the Loop in Orbit

Felix Carl  Schultz

doi:10.55845/joce-2026-41216

Authors

Felix Carl Schultz Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2467-1891

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55845/joce-2026-41216

Keywords:

Circular Space Economy, Space Economy, Circular Economy, Orbital Circular Economy, Space Debris, Circular Business Model, Circular Supply Chain, Circular Ecosystem, Sustainability

Abstract

The Space Economy (SE) is rapidly expanding, yet its reliance on a linear production and consumption model is intensifying the orbital debris problem and stands in tension with the core principles of a Circular Economy (CE). Despite increasing attention to both domains, scholarship at their intersection remains fragmented and conceptually underdeveloped, limiting cumulative theorizing on how circularity can be conceptualized in SE contexts. Addressing this gap, I conduct an integrative review of CE and SE research published between 2010 and 2025, synthesizing the contemporary literature into an organizing framework for conceptualizing the Circular Space Economy (CSE). Building on this synthesis, I advance a ten-point research agenda structured across four distinct yet interdependent pillars: (1) Orbital Property Rights and Governance; (2) Circular Ecosystems and Supply Chains; (3) Circular Business Models and Circular Product Design & Technologies; and (4) Methods and Metrics for CSE. This agenda supports future theory development and empirical research and offers a roadmap for scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to secure the orbital environment and advance circular resource stewardship on Earth.

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