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Heading in here running

to two lines
Intro running on two lines normally, please don’t break
it, with a byline. By Bernard Wood
DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SPL

Future space explorers need to take care to avoid the harms caused by colonialism and exploitation on Earth.

‘Let’s talk about what a better

future in space looks like’
Astrophysicist Erika Nesvold is trying to pin down
the principles of ethical space exploration.

F
rom Star Trek to Apollo 17, space explo- destruction and social injustice. Nature spoke and co-editor of Reclaiming Space, a collection
ration is often framed as humanity to its author, Erika Nesvold. of essays that explores similar themes.
pushing collectively towards a better Nesvold is a computational astrophysicist,
future. But those utopian visions prob- game developer and a member of the team Why is now a good time to talk
ably won’t mesh with reality. The book behind Universe Sandbox, a physics-based about ethics in space exploration?
Off-Earth explores the ethical implications space simulator. Based in Severn, Maryland, A lot of people are talking about these topics
of humans moving into outer space — and she is also co-founder of the JustSpace Alli- because of the growth of the private space-
whether those who do can avoid bringing ance, a non-profit organization that works for flight industry. For decades, human space
along Earthly problems such as environmental a more inclusive and ethical future in space, exploration was done by national agencies

Nature | Vol 617 | 11 May 2023 | 245

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Books & arts
with different motivations, different rhetoric of these conversations across a diverse range
surrounding it and different levels of public of cultural backgrounds, expertise and lived
participation. With private space flight, mem- experiences. But even that assumes it’s the
bers of the public — if they get rich enough — Western space industry’s table, and that we
can actually think about going into space. get to decide who comes to it. What I’d rather
see is more amplification of the conversations
You talk about ‘settling’ space, that people outside of the Western world view
rather than colonizing it. Why? are having about space and their own societies
Because of all the terrible behaviour that came — so that we can encourage a more global con-
out of the colonization model here on Earth. versation that’s not dominated by one country
People talk about space as the final frontier — or one cultural viewpoint.
there’s always references to the Wild West. But A lot of people in the space industry like to
living on the frontier in the Wild West was not talk about space as if they’re speaking on behalf
an ideal experience for most, including Indig- of all of humanity, which is really disingenu-

TODD DRING PHOTOGRAPHY

enous people, women and Black people. We ous if you haven’t even consulted with all of
can’t just pick and choose the nice shiny parts humanity about their interests and what their
of history and apply them to space. We have motivations are for space. Someone living in
to also look at what was harmful about those a community whose culture is deeply tied to
times and how we can avoid that in the future. their land might be much more interested in
how space technology could help them to con-
What messy Earth problems could Erika Nesvold explores ethics of space travel. tinue protecting and restoring the health of
humans carry into space? their land and community, rather than imag-
It’s not just that we’ll bring all the same And we’ve seen on Earth that trying to control ining relocating to space in the distant future.
problems with us into space. There are certain a country’s population can lead to some really
physical characteristics of the space environ- unethical and horrific practices. What impact does diversity among
ment that could make all of this worse — making astronauts have on these issues?
people more vulnerable to exploitation, for What can people who have worked Representation and diversity matters in space
example. People working in space — say, mining on these issues on Earth teach us? and in space travellers. NASA has committed to
asteroids or whatever we send them out to do — Historians, especially colonial historians, can sending the first woman and the first person of
are going to be in isolated environments with- point to lessons learnt — cautionary tales and colour to the Moon. It has the responsibility as
out a lot of oversight or monitoring. They’re also success stories from the past. Anthropolo- a US government agency to reflect the demo-
going to be at the mercy of their employers for gists, sociologists and economists can explain graphics of its population and make sure the
air, water, food and a trip back to Earth. how humans live together and how their cul- astronaut corps is as accessible for as many
This has parallels with a lot of environments ture shapes behaviour, and vice versa. And how people as possible. In the long term, if you’re
where we see labour exploitation and abuses all of this affects the success and happiness of looking at creating permanent populations
on Earth. During my research for Off-Earth, I communities. living in space, you want them to be represent-
spoke to a labour-rights activist who talked While researching my book I talked to ative of humanity.
about the Thai fishing industry, in which Michelle Brown, a criminologist at the Uni-
migrant workers are hired, their passports versity of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Walidah What can researchers do to ensure
are taken away, they’re put on boats and taken Imarisha, who is a writer, an activist and direc- the ethical exploration of space?
off to sea. And they can be kept out there for tor of the Center for Black Studies at Portland One thing I encourage astronomers to do is
years and abused without anyone watching. State University in Oregon. They both taught to learn from scientists in other disciplines,
They don’t have a way back. Solutions that me a lot about prison abolition and restora- such as genetics, who have had to think about
work on Earth, such as strong labour unions tive justice. If we talk about maybe not needing the ethical implications of their research and
and regulation to defend workers’ rights, will prisons in space, then the question is, what’s how they balance, on a personal level, the work
also help to safeguard future space workers — the alternative? And it turns out there’s a ton and the potential harm it could cause. Having
assuming we put deliberate effort into putting of people who are exploring how different cul- conversations involving different disciplines
these protections into place. tures around the world handle harm within would be useful.
their communities in ways that don’t involve More broadly, scientists who want to help to
Why does Off-Earth also talk about locking people up in prison. build a better future in space but don’t work in
reproductive rights in space? policymaking or philosophy can do a couple
This felt like one of the most futuristic top- How do we ensure that voices from of things. They can have conversations with
ics in the book because nobody’s saying, oh, all around the globe are heard? their friends and colleagues about what a bet-
let’s start having children in space. But if we There’s been discussion that we just need to ter future in space would look like, what kind
want someday to have a permanent human bring more people to the table, to have more of world in space they would want to live in,
presence in space, then we have to be able to and also just focus on making a better society
replenish our population without continu- Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries here on Earth today, whatever corner of the
ally shipping people from Earth. That means for Living in Outer Space globe they live in. If we do manage to make
human reproduction in space, but there are Erika Nesvold Earth a better place and a nicer society to live
MIT Press (2023)
so many ethical complications. in, within our lifetimes, then we’re helping our
In the long term, it leads into questions of Reclaiming Space: Progressive and future in space.
population control. If you’re in an environment Multicultural Visions of Space Exploration
of real scarcity, such as we imagine a space James S. J. Schwartz, Linda Billings and Erika Interview by Alexandra Witze
settlement would be, you need to keep your Nesvold (eds) This interview has been edited for length and
population from getting too big or too small. Oxford Univ. Press (2023) clarity.

246 | Nature | Vol 617 | 11 May 2023

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