Astroethics

Astroethics or astrobioethics is a discipline of applied ethics that discusses the moral and ethical issues arising from space exploration. Several subdivisions exist in the field, such as astroethics pertaining to the treatment of extra-terrestrial non-intelligent life vs. extra-terrestrial intelligent life, or the ethicality of SETI and METI.

Ethical guidelines for space exploration

Planetary Protection

Main article: Planetary protection

A guiding principle in astroethics is that of Planetary Protection (PP), which seeks to prevent the introduction of lifeforms from Earth to other celestial bodies (forward contamination) and vice versa (back contamination), and thereby possible adverse consequences on existing ecospheres resulting from such contamination. This principle is anchored in the UN Outer Space Treaty, which was established in 1967 and has since been signed and ratified by all space-faring nations.

Precautionary Principle

Main article: Precautionary principle

The precautionary principle was defined in the 1998 Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle. This approach is supposed to guide decisions in the face of a lack of scientific knowledge on the matter. In a 2010 COSPAR workshop at Princeton University, 26 experts embraced the precautionary principle and concluded that "further investigations before interference that is likely to be harmful to Earth and other extraterrestrial bodies, including extraterrestrial life and the contamination and disturbance of celestial environments" are to be conducted.

Other Astroethical Principles for SETI

SETI astrobiologist Margaret Race and Methodist theologian Richard Randolph have outlined 4 principles for the search for extra-terrestrial life within our solar system:

1. cause no harm to Earth, its life, or its diverse ecosystems
2. respect the ecosystem on the surveyed celestial body, do not irreparably alter it or its evolutionary trajectory
3. follow proper scientific procedures with honesty and integrity during all phases of exploration
4. ensure international participation by all interested parties

Astroethical Issues

A wide range of concrete issues is discussed in astroethics. Some of them are adumbrated in the following paragraphs.

Space Debris

Millions of pieces of space debris, defunct artificial objects in space, are orbiting Earth. On average, one cataloged piece of space debris falls back onto earth every day, potentially posing a risk to organisms and property. While travelling through the atmosphere, space debris burns up, which may contribute to atmospheric pollution. Additionally, space debris still orbiting Earth can damage satellites and spacecraft. This could pose a threat to the lives of astronauts on manned missions and lead to the Kessler syndrome, where a collision of objects in space produces new fragments of space debris that could set off a chain reaction of more collisions. This could render the space around Earth untraversable for space missions and unsuitable for the use of satellites.

As of today, there are no international laws disclosing who is responsible for the extraction of space debris, or mandating a reduction of new space debris brought into Earth's orbit. However, space agencies of several countries have implemented their own standards and policies to reduce introduction of new space debris, and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has been founded to address issues regarding orbital debris. Additionally, JAXA is researching an electromagnetic tether that could be used to pull debris down into the atmosphere.

The moral problem is that those in power (space agencies) can launch material into the Earth's orbit for their own gains without being held accountable for it, while the general public has to bear the consequences (such as atmospheric pollution or the risk of being hit by space debris).

Satellite surveillance

Reconnaissance satellites are used for a variety of military and intelligence purposes, such as optical imaging and signals intelligence. It has been noted that such data could infringe on people's privacy and thereby lead to ethical and legal issues. It could also turn into a source of national security threats if such information got into malevolent hands. In order to ensure ethically correct obtainment and use of satellite data, leading researchers in law, meteorology and atmospheric science have called for new policy which would lead to more transparency and security.

Weaponizing space

In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty was signed, spurred by the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, and the following arms race with the United States. The treaty limits the use of space to peaceful purposes only and ensures that all nations on Earth are free to explore space.

Private spaceflight and space tourism

The emergence of space tourism gives rise to a number of ethical concerns. Future frequent and large-scale landings on celestial bodies like the moon may damage or pollute landing sites and the areas around them. While scientific activity is in space is benign, this cannot be guaranteed for actions by private people. If, how, by what criteria and by whom laws should be made to ensure that space tourism doesn't negatively impact other celestial bodies is a question of astroethics.

Terraforming other celestial bodies

Main article: Ethics of terraforming

Terraforming is a controversial astroethical matter. Proponents of terraforming, like Robert Zubrin, argue that humans, being the only technologically advanced and intelligent species on Earth, have a moral obligation to make other celestial bodies habitable for Earth's lifeforms to ensure their survival after the inevitable destruction of our planet. The other, ecocentrist and biocentrist side of the debate criticizes this position as anthropocentrism and argues that other celestial bodies may already contain life which always has intrinsic value, no matter how advanced it may be. They oppose the interplanetary contamination and changes to the other world that would stem from terraforming, as they could endanger the indigenous life and alter its evolutionary trajectory.

References

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