SEARCH
Advanced Search
WELCOME

Welcome to Space Future. This site is for everyone who wants to go to space.

Learn about Space Tourism, see some of the proposed Space Vehicles, find out about the legal, medical, and environmental aspects of our Space Habitat, or discover the potential of Space Power.

Visit the Archive of papers and publications or browse the Space Future Journal for current news and features.

About Space Future About
ARCHIVE

There are currently 222 documents in the archive.

Bibliography Archives List Library Listing

RADIO

Radio interviews with Space Future's founders and correspondents:

RSS FEEDS

Subscribe to site news and journal updates:

KEY DOCUMENTS

Here are some key documents from the archive to get you started:


More Documents Archives
QUICK LINKS

Some other space-related websites:



More Links More Links
Papers & Publications : Habitat : Ethics
Lunar Ethics and Space Commercialization
Published:July 2000
Author:
Origin:Lunar Development Conference, Space Frontier Foundation, July 2000.
Abstract:As we start this new century, we note that many of our successful business models are based on greed and are excessively competitive, often to the exclusion of basic human needs and a reasonable distribution of resources. Although they usually operate within the law, these actual businesses do not always value their moral and ethical responsibilities to the consumers, let alone the public in general. In the not-too-distant future, expanding our economy to LEO and the Moon will begin a new era of industrialization in space. Many questions remain as to what this LEO-and-beyond economy will look like, especially the lunar and Martian settlements which are sure to follow.

One of the most important concerns that we can resolve before this era of space industrialization is in full swing involves the standards that our LEO and lunar-based businesses will project. All of us, not just the businesses that will be operating in LEO and on the Moon, can contribute to the debate. The standards that we export to outer space will be with us for many years to come as our new space economy develops, expands, and eventually seeks independence from its source here on Earth. To have a say in the moral component of a new space economy, we need to be addressing these issues now, and even more important, we need to get the business community involved.

References:
  • The 'Common Heritage' Principle and the United States Commercialization of Outer Space
  • The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution
Related Entries:
Keywords:Habitat:Ethics
Please send comments, critiques and queries to feedback@spacefuture.com.
All material copyright Space Future Consulting except as noted.