Space advocacy
Space advocacy is supporting or advocating for a human use of outer space. Purposes advocated can reach from space exploration, or commercial use of space to even space settlement. There are many different individuals and organizations dedicated to space advocacy. They are usually active in educating the public[1] on space related subjects, lobbying governments[2][3] for increased funding in space-related activities or supporting private space activities. They also recruit members, fund projects, and provide information for their membership and interested visitors. They are sub-divided into three categories depending on their primary work: practice, advocacy, and theory.
History
The idea that space flight was possible and necessary was introduced by groups of thinkers, primarily members of the Russian,[4] American, British, and German[5][6] science communities, who formed in the 1920s the first advocacy groups.[7] Starting in the 1930s, these groups began to share their individual plans for a future in space to their respective governments and the public.[8]
Influential books and other media began to emerge which included works containing illustrations by Chesley Bonestell (based on Wernher von Braun's designs) such as The Conquest of Space (1949) and magazine articles including the "Man Will Conquer Space Soon!" series of article in Colliers magazine between 1952 and 1954. Television shows included Walt Disney's "Man in Space" and "Man and the Moon" in 1955, and "Mars and Beyond" in 1957.
Space movement
According to Mark Hopkins from the National Space Society, each space organization has a different priority and short-term objective, but all organizations share the ultimate goal of building space settlements.[9] In 2004 most of the leading US non-profit space organizations joined together to form the Space Exploration Alliance. The Alliance was formed to "advocate for the exploration and development of outer space" to members of Congress. The Alliance organizes the annual Legislative Blitz to lobby members of Congress for space exploration, and every space enthusiast is encouraged to participate in the Legislative Blitz by calling, emailing, or personally visiting their Congressperson's office.[10]
Decolonizing space
To reach a more inclusive spaceflight and space science some organizations like the JustSpace Alliance[11] (see Lucianne Walkowicz) and IAU featured Inclusive Astronomy[12] have been formed in recent years. Holding events like the unconference Decolonizing Mars in 2018.[13]
Advocates of this issue see the need for inclusive[14] and democratic participation and implementation of any space exploration, infrastructure or habitation.[15] Questioning the decision making of and reasons for any colonial space policy, labour[16] and land exploitation with postcolonial critique.
Private[17] and state funded advocacy for space colonization, specifically the rationales and politico-legal regimes[18] behind space exploration, like the "New Frontier" slogan, have been criticized for applying settler colonialism and the manifest destiny ideology, perpetuating imperialism and the narrative of colonial exploration as fundamental to the assumed human nature.[19][20][21]
Participation and representation of humanity in space is an issue of human access to and presence in space ever since the beginning of spaceflight.[11] Even though some rights of non-spacefaring countries to partake in spaceflight have been secured through international space law, declaring space the "province of all mankind", understanding spaceflight as its resource, sharing of outer space for all humanity has been criticized as still imperialist and lacking.[11] For example arguments for space as a solution to global problems like pollution and related narratives of survival are considered imperialist by Joon Yun.[17] Having a considerate policy towards space is seen as an imperative to allow a thoroughly sustainable human society also on Earth.[22]
List of organizations
Actively involved
Organizations that are directly involved in space exploration, having their own active projects.
Organisation | Founded | Purpose and goals | Pursuits | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|
SETI Institute | 1984, United States | to search for extraterrestrial intelligent life | Runs SETI | Official website |
The Planetary Society | 1980, United States | to explore the Solar System, search for near-Earth objects, and search for extraterrestrial life | Launched Cosmos 1 | Official website |
Artemis Project | was a private venture to establish a permanent, self-supporting base on the Moon by 2002 | Official website | ||
Space Studies Institute | 1977, United States | (2012:) to organize and implement The Great Enterprise Initiative, a road map outlining the technologies and capabilities necessary for space settlement. Current projects include "G-Lab, a space-based variable or partial gravity laboratory [and] E-Lab, a terrestrial 'systems-of-systems' integration lab that will bring together promising closed environment life support technologies into a comprehensive life support solution for space settlement."[23] | Runs Space Manufacturing conferences | Official website |
British Interplanetary Society | 1933, United Kingdom | to inspire people about space so that humanity builds a future beyond the Earth. It is devoted to initiating, promoting and disseminating new concepts and technical information about space flight and astronautics. It has been running technical studies since the 1930s. It is an international membership society and a UK-registered charity. | 1930s Moon mission, 1970s interstellar probe Daedalus | Official website |
Lobbying
Organizations that focus mainly on lobbying government agencies and businesses to step up their efforts.
Organisation | Founded | Purpose and goals | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Air & Space Forces Association | 1946, United States | Promotes dominant U.S. Air & Space Forces | Official website |
American Astronautical Society | 1954, United States | dedicated to the advancement of space science and exploration | Official website |
National Space Institute | 1974–1987, United States | to help maintain public support for the US space program (later became the National Space Society) | |
L5 Society | 1975–1987, United States | to promote the space colony ideas of Gerard K. O'Neill (later became the National Space Society) | |
Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy | 1980, United States | was a group of prominent American citizens concerned with US space policy | |
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space | 1980, United States | to promote space exploration and development through educational and engineering projects | Official website |
Space Force Association | 2019, United States | Achieve superior national space power by shaping a Space Force that provides credible deterrence in competition, dominant capability in combat, and professional services for all partners. | Official website |
Space Frontier Foundation | 1988, United States | to promote large-scale settlement of the inner Solar System, under strong free market capitalism | Official website |
Mars Society | 1998, International | to encouraging the exploration and settlement of Mars | Official website |
Moon Society | 2000, International | to encouraging the exploration, economic development, and settlement of the Moon | Official website |
California Space Authority | 2001, United States | "to foster the development of specified activities in California related to space flight." | Official website |
Space Exploration Alliance | 2004, United States | An alliance of major non-profit space organizations. | Official website |
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration | United States | "aerospace industry companies that are collaborating to advance the cause of space exploration." | Official website |
Penny4NASA | 2012, United States | to advocate for the increase of the NASA budget to 1% of the federal budget, or one penny of every tax dollar | Official website |
SpacePAC | 2014, United States | Political action committee committed to electing pro-space candidates to office. | Official website |
Alliance for Space Development | 2015, United States | An alliance of major non-profit space organizations. | Official website |
Educating and publicizing
Organisations involved in educating the public, to boost their understanding and enthusiasm about space.
Organisation | Founded | Purpose and goals | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Canadian Space Society | 1983, Canada | to sponsor, promote and engage in activities designed to promote increased knowledge of space | Official website |
National Space Society | 1987, United States | an organization with the vision of "people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth," from the merger of L5 Society and National Space Institute | Official website |
International Space University | 1987, France | a university dedicated to the discovery, research and development of outer space exploration for peaceful purposes | Official website |
TMRO | 2008, United States | a multimedia, internet based broadcaster dedicated to getting"...the planet excited about living among the stars." | Official website |
Space Foundation | 1983, United States | to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity. | Official website |
Tau Zero Foundation | 2004, United States | to work together toward practical interstellar flight and to use this quest to teach about science, technology, and our place in the universe | Official website |
Initiative for Interstellar Studies | 2012, United Kingdom | Conducts activities and research relating to the challenges of achieving robotic and human interstellar flight. | Official website |
Space for Humanity | 2018, United States | An education-oriented non-profit organization expanding access to space, training the leaders of tomorrow, and cultivating a movement towards a more harmonious world. | Official website |
Space Studies Institute | 1977, United States | "open the energy and material resources of space for human benefit within our lifetime" | Official website |
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) | 1980, United States | Worldwide student space advocacy. | Official website |
The Space Court Foundation | United States | a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit corporation that promotes and supports space law and policy education and the rule of law. | Official website |
The Secure World Foundation | United States | promotes cooperative solutions for space sustainability and the peaceful uses of outer space, for the benefit of all countries. | Official website |
Theorizing
Organisations that focus on advocating theoretical work.
Organisation | Founded | Purpose and goals | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Alliance to Rescue Civilization | devoted to the establishment of an off-Earth "backup" of human civilization | Official website | |
Living Universe Foundation | has a detailed plan in which the entire galaxy is colonized. | Official website | |
The Mars Foundation | through its Mars Homestead Project, is developing a unified plan for building the first habitat on Mars by exploiting local materials. | Official website | |
Build the Enterprise | theorises the possibility of building a spaceship similar in appearance to the USS Enterprise from Star Trek using current technology within the next two decades. | Official website |
See also
References
- ^ "Solar System Ambassadors Program". Jpl.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "Testimony of Dr. Robert Zubrin to the Senate Commerce Committee, Oct 29, 2003" (PDF). The Mars Society. 2003-10-29. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
- ^ "Technical Societies Call for Increase to NASA Budget – re> RESTON, Va., June 28". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "Korolev". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "Biography of Wernher Von Braun". History.msfc.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 2002-06-11. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "German Civilian Rocketry". Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
- ^ Alvarez, Tamara (Jan 1, 2020). The Eighth Continent: An Ethnography of Twenty-First Century Euro-American Plans to Settle the Moon (Thesis). p. 130. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved Nov 1, 2021.
- ^ "Space Activism – History". HobbySpace. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "The Space Movement". Nss.org. 2013-03-30. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ "Space Exploration Alliance". Space Exploration Alliance. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ a b c Haris Durrani (19 July 2019). "Is Spaceflight Colonialism?". Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "IAU100:Inclusive Astronomy". 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "Decolonizing Mars". 2018. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Zuleyka Zevallos (26 March 2015). "Rethinking the Narrative of Mars Colonisation". Other Sociologist. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Keith A. Spencer (2 May 2017). "Keep the Red Planet Red". Jacobin. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Keith A. Spencer (8 October 2017). "Against Mars-a-Lago: Why SpaceX's Mars colonization plan should terrify you". Salon.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ a b Joon Yun (January 2, 2020). "The Problem With Today's Ideas About Space Exploration". Worth.com. Archived from the original on 2020-06-28. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^ Alan Marshall (February 1995). "Development and imperialism in space". Space Policy. 11 (1): 41–52. doi:10.1016/0265-9646(95)93233-B. Archived from the original on 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^ Caroline Haskins (14 August 2018). "The racist language of space exploration". The Outline. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ DNLee (26 March 2015). "When discussing Humanity's next move to space, the language we use matters". Scientific American. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ Drake, Nadia (2018-11-09). "We need to change the way we talk about space exploration". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ Tavares, Frank; Buckner, Denise; Burton, Dana; McKaig, Jordan; Prem, Parvathy; Ravanis, Eleni; Trevino, Natalie; Venkatesan, Aparna; Vance, Steven D.; Vidaurri, Monica; Walkowicz, Lucianne; Wilhelm, Mary Beth (October 15, 2020). "Ethical Exploration and the Role of Planetary Protection in Disrupting Colonial Practices". arXiv:2010.08344v2 [astro-ph.IM].
- ^ "The Great Enterprise Initiative". Space Studies Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- v
- t
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space program
- Two Bombs, One Satellite doctrine (1966–1976)
- Shuguang program (1966–1972)
- Chinese ASAT program (1964–)
- Project 921 (1992–)
- Shenzhou program
- Tiangong program
- Space station
- Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (2003–)
- Mars and beyond
- European Launcher Development Organisation (1960–1975)
- Europa launcher programme (1962–1973)
- European Space Research Organisation (1964–1975)
- European Space Agency (1975–)
- EU/ESA Space Council
- European Cooperation for Space Standardization
- European Space Research and Technology Centre
- European Astronaut Centre
- ESA Centre for Earth Observation
- European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications
- European Data Relay System
- Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (1983–2010)
- European Space Astronomy Centre (2005–)
- European Space Security and Education Centre
- European Space Operations Centre
- Guiana Space Centre
- Ariane launcher programme (1973–)
- Vega launcher programme (1998–)
- European Space Policy Institute
- Space Situational Awareness Programme
- Future Launchers Preparatory Programme
- ESA Television
- Mars and beyond
Horizon 2000 (1985–1995) |
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Horizon 2000 Plus (1995–2015) | |
Cosmic Vision (2015–2025) |
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- Western European Union Satellite Centre (1992–2002)
- EU Satellite Centre (2002–)
- EU/ESA Space Council
- EU Commission DG Defence Industry and Space
- European GNSS Supervisory Authority (2004–2010)
- European GNSS Agency (2010–2021)
- EU Agency for the Space Programme (2021–)
- Galileo programme
- Copernicus programme
- EGNOS programme
- EUSST programme
- Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
- European Union Aviation Safety Agency
- European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities
- European Defence Agency
- Europe by Satellite
initiatives and bodies
- AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe
- Eurocontrol
- Council of Europe
- Council of European Aerospace Societies
- European Broadcasting Union
- European Civil Aviation Conference
- European Committee for Standardization/European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
- European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations
- European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment
- European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
- European Patent Organisation
- European Telecommunications Satellite Organization
- European Southern Observatory
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
space programme
- Creation of the British National Committee for Space Research (1958)
- Start of the Ariel programme (1962)
- Black Arrow launcher (1964–1971)
- Creation of the British National Space Centre (1985)
- Outer Space Act 1986
- Project Juno (1991)
- Space Innovation and Growth Team (2009–2010)
- Creation of the UK Space Agency (2010)
- Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015
- Space Industry Act 2018
- UK Global Navigation Satellite System (2018–2020)
- 2021 Integrated Review
Truman space policy | |
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Eisenhower space policy | |
Kennedy space policy | |
Johnson space policy | |
Nixon space policy | |
Ford space policy | |
Carter space policy | |
Reagan space policy | |
George H. W. Bush space policy | |
Clinton space policy | |
George W. Bush space policy | |
Obama space policy |
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Trump space policy | |
Soviet space program |
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Roscosmos |
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or inter-agency bodies
- African Space Agency
- Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems
- Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
- Committee on Space Research
- International Cospas-Sarsat Programme
- Group on Earth Observations
- Global Standards Collaboration
- Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee
- International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'
- International Mobile Satellite Organization
- International Space Exploration Coordination Group
- International Space Station Multilateral Coordination Board
- International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
- Intersputnik
- Orbital Debris Co-ordination Working Group
- Regional African Satellite Communication Organization
- Arab Satellite Communications Organization
- Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization
- Partial Test Ban Treaty (1963)
- Outer Space Treaty (1967)
- Rescue Agreement (1968)
- Space Liability Convention (1972)
- US-USSR Cooperation Agreement (1972)
- Satellite Convention (1974)
- Registration Convention (1975)
- Bogota Declaration (1976)
- Moon Treaty (1979)
- Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (1981)
- International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Agreement (1988)
- International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement (1998)
- International Docking System Standard
- International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters' (1999)
- Cape Town Treaty, Space Assets protocol (2012)
- Artemis Accords (2020)
- Space jurisdiction
- Common heritage of mankind
- Extraterrestrial real estate
- Astronomical naming conventions
- ITU Radio Regulations
- CCSDS standards
- ODCWG standards
- CEOS standards
- COSPAR standards
- GSC standards
- GEO standards
- ISECG standards
- Various conventions, treaties, agreements, memorandums, charters or declarations establishing and governing intergovernmental organisations or inter-agency bodies dealing with space affairs
Space forces, units and formations | |
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Space warfare |
- Air & Space Forces Association
- Alliance for Space Development
- Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies
- British Interplanetary Society
- Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
- International Academy of Astronautics
- International Astronautical Federation
- International Astronomical Union
- Lunar Explorers Society
- Space Exploration Alliance
- Space Fellowship
- Space Force Association
- Space Foundation
- The Planetary Society