• What Should We Do with Our Moon?: Ethics and Policy for Establishing International Multiuse Lunar Land Reserves

    Author(s):
    Daniel Capper (see profile)
    Date:
    2021
    Item Type:
    Article
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/r0h4-8r60
    Abstract:
    The planned expansion of the human presence on our moon demands that we reconsider our relationships with our planet’s partner. Threats to the moon such as those engendered by mining encourage the preservation of various precious areas of our moon’s surface through the emplacement of international multiuse land reserves. Arising from tested environmental science strategies as well as values drawn from the ethnographic field, these reserves allow concurrent pursuits of industry, science, environmental preservation, respect for human cultural landscapes, as well as future recreation. By protecting the near side patterns in the moon, the Hertzsprung and Von Kármán Craters on the far side, and polar regions at Malapert, Peary, and Florey, we leave room for industry while also avoiding pointless losses of the moon’s own majesty or damage to ourselves in our interactions with the moon. In creating these reserves in line with the Outer Space Treaty, we move closer to the desirable environmental justice outcome in which each human theoretically has a say in the fate of our moon, which is the cultural heritage of every one of us.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spacepol.2021.101462
    Publisher:
    Elsevier
    Pub. Date:
    December 23, 2021
    Journal:
    Space Policy
    Page Range:
    101462 -
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    1 year ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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