Space explorations is the last true peaceful international collaboration on Earth. It requires an understanding that no one person, space agency, or nation alone can authoritatively define.
But given our history of colonization, imperialism, and exploitation plus a nearly non-existent and fragile landscape of international space law we need to come up with an international infrastructure to ensure accountability and planetary protection, safety, and ethics standards.
In 1998, several nations signed a treaty into effect called the Intergovernmental Agreement on Space Station Cooperation but since then, nothing substantial has been done.
Because of this, we see events play out in space that would almost surely be ruled violations if they were carried out in the terrestrial realm.
A destroyed Chinese satellite emitted tons of space debris into the atmosphere, followed by India destroying its own satellite and sending more trash to float around in our low Earth orbit.
Humans have made a mess of the Earth and are on track, to do the same with Space now, so we need rules, regulations, and recourse for justice.
If we don’t make changes, we will only continue to facilitate these harmful institutions that have thrived on earth for all of human history.
To the richest, and the quickest, go the spoils.
For the first time in history perhaps, we have the opportunity to begin to undo our ugly past and ensure space is accessible for everyone.
If we want to create a truly sustainable and responsible space environment, we must ensure that our efforts are transparent, ethical, and inclusive, and that we fully understand our historical tendencies and address them while we still can…
Reference- Futurism, Quartz, NASA website, Business Insider