Space Ethics

Abstract

The origins of space ethics are to be found within the space community, with professional philosophers and ethicists joining the discussion more recently. Typical concerns include space mining; risk, disclosure, and justice in space; and iconic topics such as the settlement and terraforming of Mars. These issues may be tackled from different disciplinary perspectives. To convey a constructive sense of the distinctive contribution of ethicists, this chapter highlights the balancing of value considerations, the enhancing of decision-making, the stress-testing of concepts and frameworks, and the importance of ongoing ethical engagement at all stages of space exploration programmes.