TechnicalEOL
End-of-Life
The final phase of a space mission when operational activities cease and disposal procedures are implemented.
End-of-Life (EOL) is the mission phase addressing the transition from operations to disposal. Requirements come from national space laws and licence conditions; the EU Space Act proposal (COM(2025) 335, not in force) would require end-of-life disposal (Art. 70(1)(c), Annex V point 3) and defines end of life as the instant the spacecraft is permanently turned off (Art. 5(42)).
EOL Planning End-of-life plans typically cover:
- Disposal method selection
- Propellant budget allocation
- Timeline for disposal operations
- Contingency procedures
EOL Activities
- Final mission operations
- Payload decommissioning
- Data archive and transfer
- Orbit lowering (if applicable)
- Passivation
- Final telemetry
- Disposal verification
Disposal Options by Orbit
- LEO: Atmospheric re-entry (controlled or uncontrolled)
- GEO: Re-orbiting above the GEO protected region
- MEO: Period to be set by implementing act under the EU Space Act proposal (Annex V point 3.6)
- HEO: Generally, re-entry or long-term orbit
Regulatory Timeline
- LEO: IADC guideline 25 years post-mission; the EU Space Act proposal (COM(2025) 335) leaves the maximum LEO orbital lifetime to an implementing act (Annex V point 3.4.2)
- GEO: removal within 100 years after end of life under the EU Space Act proposal (Annex V point 3.7)
- Notification: under the EU Space Act proposal, the Union collision avoidance provider would be informed three months before the disposal phase starts (Art. 64(3)(b))
Challenges
- System failures preventing disposal
- Insufficient propellant
- Loss of communication
- Tumbling spacecraft