FLEEING A PLANET IN CRI SIS

Fleeing a Planet in Crisis: the Ethics of the Space Race

Renata Rimbu

Space science has always been essential to learning about the nature of the universe, uncovering information and pushing the limits of what is known and familiar. Understandably, there is a burning, natural desire to make sense of the world around us and where we come from. This noble goal has however often been sidetracked by political interests, power dynamics and inequality, in a society where sensationalising the race to space and its glory means more than scientific progress.

The term “space race” has been floating around - excuse the pun - for decades now. It is widely known that it started off in the 1950s as a nationalistic competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, but what was its driving force? Obviously, there was an aspiration to prove each country’s superiority, but why did space become one of the many fields of rivalry? It is in fact interesting to analyse why, to this day, space travel is considered a marker of dominance and admiration. Power and man’s mission into space have become interwoven: moving past the boundaries and confinements of our planet perpetuates a narrative of the limitless man, a discoverer of the mysterious and alluring unknown beyond ordinary humanity.

A country going out of its way to conquer the unknown for political reasons is not by any means a new development and it reminds, to a certain extent, of colonial endeavours. However, one could never equate the two, considering the devastating social and cultural implications and, more importantly, loss of human lives that colonisation brought with it. Colonising outer space did not hurt, nor try to dispose of entire cultures for the sake of territories and power. Nonetheless, this parallel shows the constant need to move beyond what one has and to prove one’s own worth and strength through conquering the unknown or unfamiliar. The wish for domination, be it of others, of spaces, or of the unknown, is what emphasises the frailty of the human con-

dition, for only by being unsure of yourself can you find validation in conquering.

Returning to our story, the end of the Cold War seemed to bring cooperation instead of competition. This most clearly manifests in the creation of the International Space Station (ISS), which is the result of five different space agencies from all over the world working together, including, perhaps ironically to some or hope-inducing to others, those of the United States and Russia. Functioning based on international agreements and treatises, the ISS could be a standing example of progress which can be achieved when the focus is on science and inter-state cooperation. Part of the ISS is the European Space Agency, an intergovernmental organisation which brings together 22 countries and once again hopes to demonstrate the endless possibilities of scientific progress made real when domination is set aside.

While this would normally make one hopeful, recently it feels more than ever that a reversal to a race took place - not between ideologically opposite countries, but between the richest people on Earth. The so-called “billionaire space race” sees entrepreneurs turning their focus on space and creating their private industries. The most well-known are Elon Musk (SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin), and Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), who have all pushed the boundaries of commercial space use and space tourism, turning it into a place for spaceflight participants (those who travel to space without being professional astronauts). Many have criticised that this fosters an increased sense of inequality between the well-off and normal people who cannot afford such luxuries, and have to sit back and watch these new excursions as a reminder of the opportunities they do not benefit from.

Beside the aspect of turning space discovery into a luxury for the privileged, the ills of the billionaire space race run deep. Earth is in the midst of a full-fledged climate crisis in dire need of efforts and resources.

“It almost feels like the towel has been thrown in and people are trying hard to get away from the space around them, while hiding behind the mask of scientific progress.”

A space flight of 11 minutes causes around 75 tons of emission, and many people are left wondering as to why these billionaire are not investing in a scientific progress that helps with the climate crisis – is it perhaps less glamorous? Why give up on trying to solve the issue of climate change, and instead focus all your efforts on leaving the planet? Some argue that these private companies are aiming to use the resources of space to help with the stress on those of Earth. It remains to be questioned, though, how practical this approach is and whether its negative impact is at least proportional to its apparent gains.

The role capitalism plays in this process should not be ignored. With its driving desire for productivity and growth, it has pushed society towards materialistic goals and rewarded production regardless of materials or resources used. Now, after having pushed this planet to its absolute edge, the resources it provides are not enough anymore, so the plan is to turn to outer space in order to gain more. Besides arguing that said resources could have been spent more carefully, why not focus on sustainable ways to prolong the quality of life on Earth? This is, essentially, a human-centric approach: all the resources this planet had to offer have been used, so now humans need to relocate in order to save themselves by colonising other planets. Nowhere in this mindset are the consequences of these actions being questioned and the destroyed ecosystems which cannot move to Mars. Humans are taking their flight without shouldering the responsibility of what is left behind. They’re choosing to survive at any cost and push the boundaries of technological advance, while forgetting about what makes life worth living. What about taking in nature, admiring its paradoxical grandeur and simplicity, and fighting to save it? Artists have not been inspired by it for centuries for nothing; nature has a profound impact on humanity, and while one cannot deny the importance of scientific progress, perhaps it could rather be focused on saving what can still be saved on Earth before it is too late.