Decolonising the cosmos

We need a more egalitarian approach to space exploration. Will our attitudes towards space mean that we will reproduce the same kinds of inequalities and injustices during humanity's time on Earth? Is there something we can do to make exploration sustainable and more equal? Ramin Skibba, an astrophysicist turned space writer, turns to the perspectives of a range of experts and argues that instead of treating Mars and the Moon as sites of conquest and settlement, we need to create radical new ethics for these missions. “A new regime that preserves the beauty of space for everyone will need to prioritise scientific research and public access to its benefits. International agreements could demarcate limited space zones for particular kinds of commercial activity. Sustainable, egalitarian operations in space would focus on social equity, environmental conservation, workers’ rights and balanced economic benefits. Many more people would have access to the benefits of space, not dependent on the beneficence of a few billionaires; decisions would be similarly democratic and consultative. Those who flout the norms, arming the atmosphere, polluting the night sky or defacing the Moon, would lose their access.”