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Ethics of Outer Space: starting point - rereading "The Ethics of Space Policy"
The further development of the program in space ethics will have three phases: Phase I involves ethicists and philosophers, phase II scientists, and phase III policy makers. In this area work has been done previously; the idea is to consider the work by Mr. Pompidou and COMEST as phase I that has already been completed. What needs to be done on the basis of this work is (a) to set the ethical issues on the agenda with the assistance of philosophers and ethicists, (b) to find support for the ethical approach within the community of scientists and policy-makers.
The Ethics of Space Policy has indeed produced
  1. an overview of the problems in outer space, including some problems that COPUOS or international law have been addressing, and
  2. the relevant materials for a policy document.
The identification of The Ethics of Space Policy and phase I is all the more acceptable since there are no specialists in space ethics – hence there could not be a group of space ethicists like for environmental ethics; such a group has to be created as part of the process of agenda-setting of ethics of outer space.

The Ethics of Space Policy can be transformed into a policy document as follows:
  1. Affirmation of ethical principles that can be a basis for an international instrument. They must not be redundant with existing space treaties or reopen unnecessarily some already pacified debates. A non-exhaustive list includes:
    • Need for the "incorporation of ethical requirement at every step of space process";
    • Need for transparency for decisions in outer space;
    • Need for the respect of privacy (provided this is not already embedded in international space law);
    • Need for the development of an ethics of outer space (and hence to implement point c below);
    • Need to implement each project of point b below.

  2. Recommendations for action:
    • "Perception of space": education, dissemination about space (publicity of outer space problems, issues, risks, etc) and "mediation pedagogy" (training journalists); this could be designed by SHS/EST and then partially managed by SC or ED;
    • Need for an international management concern for space data (could be designed by SHS/EST and eventually managed by SC after decision of the General Conference);
    • Need for international cooperation; this would be implemented notably through our regular participation, as ethics experts, in COPUOS sessions.

  3. Agenda-setting of ethical issues in the space community. Some issues that need to be addressed, – a basis for ethical reflection (again from The Ethics of Space Policy) are:
    1. motivations and interest of space conquest,
    2. interest of manned flights,
    3. how to decide on ethical questions regarding outer space
      1. nuclear power in space,
      2. limits of outer space,
      3. arbitrage between confidentiality and collective security (related to info-ethics),
      4. determination of the status of data (e.g.. the rights of observed countries vs. property),
    4. risks of abuse of dominant position by space actors,
    5. responsibility in case of catastrophe.




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