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As humanity begins to explore extraterrestrial bodies within our solar system, every new advance will invite a slew of ethical questions. From the minds of science fiction writers to stories already appearing in the news, the final frontier offers a bright future. Unfortunately, that bright future is in danger of disappearing if we choose to espouse the wrong values and ideals.
Space Debris
Even today, humans are impacting Earth’s low earth orbit, or LEO. Broken satellites, scraps of metal and other pieces of debris pose a danger to any rockets launching into orbit. Even tiny pieces of space debris can cause significant damage to objects traveling at 28,000 km/h such as the International Space Station (ISS).
Although public funding for space exploration has shrunk over the past few years, commercial efforts continue to increase year after year. SpaceX became the first private company to dock a space vessel with the ISS, and a variety of industries from satellite Internet providers to weather organizations launch increasing numbers of satellites into orbit.
Exploration
As human exploration moves from the moon to Mars and beyond, we run the risk (and opportunity) of running into extraterrestrial lifeforms. Any organisms that explorers find will probably be single celled bacteria or other tiny organisms, but any lifeforms will pose a health risk simply because nobody can predict how they would interact with humans or other terrestrial species.
Even if extraterrestrial lifeforms end up completely benign, the question remains of whether or not humans should disturb those lifeforms. Should we study them? Should we begin to colonize planets with native life, or should we create a refuge from the spread of human civilization?
Colonization
Native lifeforms aside, most governments have failed to indicate how they would go about claiming planets, moons, asteroids, and other bodies. Assuming that humans do begin colonizing the entire solar system, current international law does not account for the idea of territorial ownership.
On Earth, land borders are easy to specify by geographic location. On the other hand, oceanic borders are often poorly defined. In the South China Sea, nearly a dozen countries claim overlapping regions, and territorial disputes cause regional tension. Without clearly defined international laws for colonization, any extraterrestrial colonization would run the same risk.
Commercialization
One of the staples of science fiction is the all-powerful corporation that operates as a sovereign entity, performing illegal experiments or other illicit activities with no public oversight. With tens of millions of different businesses around the world, regulations are already expensive to enforce. Once corporations can branch out across the entire solar system and eventually multiple solar systems, regulations will become that much more challenging to enforce.
Such an extensive issue will require equally extensive legislation. Governments may have to severely restrict permits for private entities, only allowing businesses to operate in visible and easily accessible locations like established settlements.
Security Issues
With the vast freedom offered by space, interplanetary commerce is a ripe target for a new breed of highway robbers. Instead of horses or cars, the robbers of the future will intercept space vessels carrying valuable cargo before flying off into the vastness of space. Governments will have to develop and maintain a sizable police force for both trade routes and colonies.
Space exploration will also advance more quickly if governments prohibit the development and proliferation of weapons much as they do here on Earth. However, questions remain as to what extent companies and private citizens should be able to arm themselves for purposes of self-defense.
International Treaties
With most governments currently concerned with domestic issues, space exploration appears like a distant possibility rather than an immediate issue. However, the reality is far different.
Permanent lunar and Mars colonies are already planned for the next decade, and the private space industry is booming.
In the next 10 years, governments will have to draft and ratify treaties concerning all of these issues. Space exploration and colonization cannot continue without regulations, and the only way to promote a safe future for all of humanity is to address these issues sooner rather than later.
