THE NEW SPACE RACE: Utilize the ISS as a resource: a common sense, fiscally responsible plan leveraging the International Space Station. “Technical disposal alternatives for an individual satellite resolve to two choices: either deorbit it as debris or to consolidate it in orbit to leverage new infrastructure construction. Transforming those materials into feedstocks that can be used in manufacturing new hardware and infrastructure in orbit would kickstart a new commercial economy. However, there is currently no matured technology solution for this kind of processing on orbit, so deorbiting is thus far the only viable option.”

That’s a shame. But if Starship really does end up reducing launch costs by 90-99%, I wonder if orbital recycling would make economic sense.