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Space colonization
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Space colonization
Space colonization (or extraterrestrial colonization) is the settlement or colonization of outer space and astronomical bodies. The concept in its broad sense has been applied to any permanent human presence in space, such as a space habitat or other extraterrestrial settlements. It may involve a process of occupation or control for exploitation, such as extraterrestrial mining.
Making territorial claims in space is prohibited by international space law, defining space as a common heritage. International space law has had the goal to prevent colonial claims and militarization of space, and has advocated the installation of international regimes to regulate access to and sharing of space, particularly for specific locations such as the limited space of geostationary orbit or the Moon. To date, no permanent space settlement other than temporary space habitats have been established, nor has any extraterrestrial territory or land been internationally claimed. Currently there are also no plans for building a space colony by any government. However, many proposals, speculations, and designs, particularly for extraterrestrial settlements have been made through the years, and a considerable number of space colonization advocates and groups are active. Currently, the dominant private launch provider SpaceX, has been the most prominent organization planning space colonization on Mars, though having not reached a development stage beyond launch and landing systems.
Space colonization raises numerous socio-political questions. Many arguments for and against space settlement have been made. The two most common reasons in favor of colonization are the survival of humans and life independent of Earth, making humans a multiplanetary species, in the event of a planetary-scale disaster (natural or human-made), and the commercial use of space particularly for enabling a more sustainable expansion of human society through the availability of additional resources in space, reducing environmental damage on and exploitation of Earth. The most common objections include concerns that the commodification of the cosmos may be likely to continue pre-existing detrimental processes such as environmental degradation, economic inequality and wars, enhancing the interests of the already powerful, and at the cost of investing in solving existing major environmental and social issues.
The mere construction of an extraterrestrial settlement, with the needed infrastructure, presents daunting technological, economic and social challenges. Space settlements are generally conceived as providing for nearly all (or all) the needs of larger numbers of humans. The environment in space is very hostile to human life and not readily accessible, particularly for maintenance and supply. It would involve much advancement of currently primitive technologies, such as controlled ecological life-support systems. With the high cost of orbital spaceflight (around $1400 per kg, or $640 per pound, to low Earth orbit by SpaceX Falcon Heavy), a space settlement would currently be massively expensive, but ongoing progress in reusable launch systems aim to change that (possibly reaching $20 per kg to orbit), and in creating automated manufacturing and construction techniques.
Space colonization has been in a broad sense referred to as space settlement, space humanization or space habitation. Space colonization in a narrow sense refers to space settlements, as envisioned by Gerard K. O'Neill. It is characterized by elements such as: settlement and exploitation, as well as territorial claim.
The concept in its broad sense has been applied to any permanent human presence, even robotic, particularly along with the term "settlement", being imprecisely applied to any human space habitat, from research stations to self-sustaining communities in space.
The words colony and colonization are terms rooted in colonial history on Earth, making them human geographic as well as particularly political terms. This broad use for any permanent human activity and development in space has been criticized, particularly as colonialist and undifferentiated (see below Objections).
In this sense, a colony is a settlement that claims territory and exploits it for the settlers or their metropole. Therefore, a human outpost, while possibly a space habitat or even a space settlement, does not automatically constitute a space colony.
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Space colonization AI simulator
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Space colonization
Space colonization (or extraterrestrial colonization) is the settlement or colonization of outer space and astronomical bodies. The concept in its broad sense has been applied to any permanent human presence in space, such as a space habitat or other extraterrestrial settlements. It may involve a process of occupation or control for exploitation, such as extraterrestrial mining.
Making territorial claims in space is prohibited by international space law, defining space as a common heritage. International space law has had the goal to prevent colonial claims and militarization of space, and has advocated the installation of international regimes to regulate access to and sharing of space, particularly for specific locations such as the limited space of geostationary orbit or the Moon. To date, no permanent space settlement other than temporary space habitats have been established, nor has any extraterrestrial territory or land been internationally claimed. Currently there are also no plans for building a space colony by any government. However, many proposals, speculations, and designs, particularly for extraterrestrial settlements have been made through the years, and a considerable number of space colonization advocates and groups are active. Currently, the dominant private launch provider SpaceX, has been the most prominent organization planning space colonization on Mars, though having not reached a development stage beyond launch and landing systems.
Space colonization raises numerous socio-political questions. Many arguments for and against space settlement have been made. The two most common reasons in favor of colonization are the survival of humans and life independent of Earth, making humans a multiplanetary species, in the event of a planetary-scale disaster (natural or human-made), and the commercial use of space particularly for enabling a more sustainable expansion of human society through the availability of additional resources in space, reducing environmental damage on and exploitation of Earth. The most common objections include concerns that the commodification of the cosmos may be likely to continue pre-existing detrimental processes such as environmental degradation, economic inequality and wars, enhancing the interests of the already powerful, and at the cost of investing in solving existing major environmental and social issues.
The mere construction of an extraterrestrial settlement, with the needed infrastructure, presents daunting technological, economic and social challenges. Space settlements are generally conceived as providing for nearly all (or all) the needs of larger numbers of humans. The environment in space is very hostile to human life and not readily accessible, particularly for maintenance and supply. It would involve much advancement of currently primitive technologies, such as controlled ecological life-support systems. With the high cost of orbital spaceflight (around $1400 per kg, or $640 per pound, to low Earth orbit by SpaceX Falcon Heavy), a space settlement would currently be massively expensive, but ongoing progress in reusable launch systems aim to change that (possibly reaching $20 per kg to orbit), and in creating automated manufacturing and construction techniques.
Space colonization has been in a broad sense referred to as space settlement, space humanization or space habitation. Space colonization in a narrow sense refers to space settlements, as envisioned by Gerard K. O'Neill. It is characterized by elements such as: settlement and exploitation, as well as territorial claim.
The concept in its broad sense has been applied to any permanent human presence, even robotic, particularly along with the term "settlement", being imprecisely applied to any human space habitat, from research stations to self-sustaining communities in space.
The words colony and colonization are terms rooted in colonial history on Earth, making them human geographic as well as particularly political terms. This broad use for any permanent human activity and development in space has been criticized, particularly as colonialist and undifferentiated (see below Objections).
In this sense, a colony is a settlement that claims territory and exploits it for the settlers or their metropole. Therefore, a human outpost, while possibly a space habitat or even a space settlement, does not automatically constitute a space colony.
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