ABRENCILLO SAM M.

BSIOM 1A

TITLE: THE ETHICS OF SPACE EXPLORATION

Space ethics is a new field of inquiry, but one growing in importance as exploration
accelerates and private interests become more involved.Space exploration has long
fascinated the mind and stimulated human imagination in vast ways. Yet it also elicits
critical questions concerning meta-ethics, bioethics, environmental ethics, research
ethics, business ethics, moral standing, as well as critical political and policy issues
relevant to technology designers, engineers, policy makers, lawyers, sociologists,
psychologists, and moral and political philosophers. Space ethics is undoubtedly the
next frontier of ethical inquiry. This approach to the ethics of space exploration is no
longer sufficient, if it ever was. As exploration accelerates and private commercial
activities are added to ongoing scientific and security initiatives, we need an
accompanying acceleration and expansion of space ethics. We need to think clearly
about what activities should be permitted and Kimprohibited, as well as how, where and
by whom such decisions should be made. We need to think about the ethics of space
exploration, and the political economy of space ethics.Space exploration is motivated by
scientific curiosity and discovery, interests in weather and climate observation, improved
communication, tourism, resource extraction, and geopolitical and strategic
considerations, among others. At the same time, spacefaring involves risks — including
risks to astronauts; physical and economic threats posed by space debris; and the
potential to contaminate the ecosystems we visit (forward-contamination) or our own
planet following space missions (backward-contamination). We also confront trade-offs
— such as spending scarce public dollars on space rather than on improving the health
and well-being of people on Earth. Space ethics prompts us to ask whether certain
motives are defensible, what risks and trade-offs they entail, which activities should be
permitted, and what limits should be placed on space activities in light of important
values and principles.

Similarly, there are questions about how we should sequence scientific, strategic and
commercial interests when there is the potential for conflict among them. If commercial
activities, such as mining, risk contaminating other worlds, perhaps we should prioritize
scientific over strategic and commercial missions — or prohibit mining altogether. But if
strategic and commercial missions provide the motivation and funding without which
scientific missions would not occur, then perhaps a different balance is warranted. “The
Conquest of Space and the Stature of Man,” in which she asked how our being in, and
seeing ourselves from, space would affect our sense of our place in the universe and our
earthly conceptions of value and obligation. This was space ethics more as geocentric
reflection on how space exploration would change humanity’s self-conceptions, and less
about whether we should go and what we should and should not do in space.
Yet, space ethicists’ influence on decision making has been limited. Although some
contribute to discussions and working papers at NASA( National Aeronautics and Space
Administration).Through space exploration, we gain a new perspective to study Earth
and the solar system. We advance new technologies that improve our daily lives, and we
inspire a new generation of artists, thinkers, tinkerers,engineers,andscientists.Scientists
have used space-derived data to deepen human understanding of the origin and
evolution of galaxies, stars, planets, and other cosmological phenomena. Orbiting
satellites also have provided, and continue to provide, important services to the everyday
life of many people on Earth.Space exploration can bring new resources and technology
to our planet. People should continue to pursue this exploration, which could benefit
Earth's environment and mankind. Space exploration has already made so many
contributions to the environment, the economy, and to human health.Space exploration
is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. While the
exploration of space is currently carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its
physical exploration is conducted both by uncrewed robotic space probes and human
spaceflight.Space exploration has many benefits, including technological advancements
and scientific discoveries, but it also carries significant risks:

Benefits
Technological breakthroughs: Space exploration has led to inventions like water filters,
ear thermometers, scratch resistant lenses, and more.

Economic prosperity: The space travel industry contributes to job creation and economic
progress.

Human survival: Space exploration can help identify and monitor near-Earth objects
(NEOs) that could pose a risk to our planet.

Better crop yields: Research on indoor farming has led to crops like wheat and potatoes
producing yields of two or more times the size of outdoor farming records.

Cancer treatment: Research on reducing radiation exposure and mitigating its effects
has led to the development of diagnostics tests to improve cancer treatment on Earth.

Risks
Radiation: Ionizing radiations from solar flares could cause cancer.

Extreme temperatures: Space is extremely cold at -270.42 Celsius, far too cold for
humans to survive without protection.

High-speed impacts: Micrometeorites and space debris can impact spacecraft and
astronauts during spacewalks.
Some people argue that the money spent on space exploration isn't practical or ethical
when a lot of ordinary people are suffering from hunger, illnesses, and poverty.

Yet, there are many opinions about whether space exploration is worthwhile.
Some people feel that the disadvantages of a national space program outweigh the
benefits. Many
others believe that space exploration should be continued at all costs, that it has proven
to be
beneficial in the past, and that it will continue to do so.
My opinion probably falls somewhere in the middle. I can understand all of the
disadvantages, but I
also believe that it has helped our country and our world in countless irreplaceable ways.
While there
are many disadvantages to funding a space program, nearly all of them could be solved
(or at least
partially resolved) with a better understanding of space, better methods, and improved
technology.
How do we achieve these things? Experience, mostly. The more we explore space and
experiment,
the faster our technology and methods will evolve, and the better we will understand our
universe
and planet.
It is a complex issue. In the table below, I've summarized the arguments for and against
space
exploration and then will go into more detail about each.
Cause no harm to Earth, its life, or its diverse ecosystems.Respect the ecosystem on the
surveyed celestial body, do not irreparably alter it or its evolutionary trajectory.Follow
proper scientific procedures with honesty and integrity .Space, by all accounts, is a
decidedly unpleasant environment to find oneself in. It’s either freezing cold or boiling
hot, there’s a complete vacuum, the physics are unforgiving – and reaching it costs a
fortune to boot. So why does anyone bother going?

Turns out, space is infinitely worth the headaches. One can find the secrets of the
universe and our place within it, bringing us closer to answering the biggest questions of
them all: why are we here, and are we alone?

Of course, the business perks of the cosmos haven’t been lost on industry; for the last
50 years or so, life has become increasingly dependent on satellites for everything from
television and mobile phones to GPS and accessible internet. The in-orbit equipment is
also key to monitoring weather, industrial activity, and checking in on your adversary’s
activity. But as new technology fuels a surge in spaceflight, it seems safe to speculate
that this is just the beginning.
The rest was, literally, history. As the Cold War began, the US and the Soviet Union
realized that space-faring rockets could easily be fitted with nukes. Both powers then
sought to prove their superiority by sending their weaponized innovations into space,
and the Space Race was born. Satellites traversing the final frontier were quickly
followed by humans, culminating in the US sealing its victory with a moon landing in
1969. A few more moon missions followed, but the point was proven; both powers scaled
back their efforts, and no humans have left Earth’s orbit since. Instead, they’ve remained
in space stations, researching everything from materials to plants to human biology in
space, and left further exploration to robots.

Meanwhile, governments and companies have been sending up satellites for Earth
observation and communications – which reached a fever pitch when the American
SpaceX’s cost-effective, partially reusable rockets hit the market. Satellites also became
smaller and cheaper, making it easier to build up hordes of them in orbit. Now, the space
scene is primarily ruled by the US and its commercial companies (often contracted but
not controlled by the government), still focused on Earth orbit – but beginning to look
beyond.