Other Considerations
Some of the issues surrounding space explorations have been addressed here, but there are many more that we have not touched on.
Issues surrounding space exploration often fall into three closely connected categories:
- ethics
- environment
- politics.
The topics in these three categories overlap. Because there are so many issues around the topic of space exploration, we will conclude this lesson with a number of questions that might be asked, rather than a list of definitive answers.
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Ethical
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Do humans have the right to alter and colonize unique environments on other planets?
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Do humans have the right to remove resources from other planets?
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Should money be used for space travel when there are many problems on Earth to be addressed?
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Environmental
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How will space travel affect Earth's natural systems?
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How will space travel affect the environments on other planets?
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Who is responsible for assessing and regulating environmental impact and minimizing damage?
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Political
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Which countries (if any) have ownership of space resources?
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Who is responsible for deciding how space resources should be used?
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Should space technology and resources be shared amongst countries?
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