Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

A new report — Thriving in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032 – underscores a major finding:

Continued U.S. leadership in human and robotic space exploration will require increased government commitments to research at the frontiers of biological and physical sciences.

Image credit: NASA

Public trust, global cooperation

One takeaway in the report deals with public trust and global cooperation.

Space exploration in the next decade will be undertaken in a landscape of conflicting national and corporate interests and growing legal complexities, with private space entrepreneurship expected to expand, and more countries likely to launch space agencies to join the over 70 currently in existence, the report notes.

Though governed by international treaties and the emerging field of space law, abilities to enforce compliance are currently limited, and ethical conduct in space will depend on international cooperation, mutual respect, and dialogue over shared values. 

Earth orbit is a junkyard of human-made space clutter.
Credit: Space Junk 3D, LLC. Melrae Pictures

Controversial matters

It is critical, the report adds, that biological and physical sciences (BPS) researchers and NASA generally, work to increase public trust and ensure that space exploration proceeds in a transparent manner where benefits are shared.

Public engagement is needed on potentially controversial matters such as the use of animals in space research, the environmental consequences of low Earth orbit satellites and associated space debris, and alteration of habitats on other planets through natural resource extraction.

For more information on the report — Thriving in Space: Ensuring the Future of Biological and Physical Sciences Research: A Decadal Survey for 2023-2032 – go to these informative resources at:

— https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/09/continued-u-s-leadership-in-human-and-robotic-space-exploration-will-require-increased-government-commitments-to-research-at-the-frontiers-of-biological-and-physical-sciences-says-new-report

— https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/26750/interactive/

— https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/26750/BPS-decadal-slides.pdf