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Space Settlement: What is it and why does it matter?

In today’s current age, many often discuss the topic of making space a home for humans. Public figures from Robert Zubrin to Buzz Aldrin advocate for this next step, beyond rovers and short-term missions.


While science fiction has certainly glorified the idea of space settlement, the general public understandably has questions. What exactly is space settlement? How does this benefit everyone? And what can we do today to allow for an interplanetary future?


By: Lyla Sebeck


WHAT IS SPACE SETTLEMENT?

The National Space Society is one of the premier organizations for the development of space; their vision statement reads as follows: people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and the use of the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.” To sum it up, space settlement is living in space on a wide scale. 

Now, this seems like something only plausible in novels and movies, and for a long time, that is where it has been. After the Apollo Missions ended, it was uncertain where expansion would go. Space settlement was theorized and planned to come to fruition… eventually. With the benefit of hindsight, it never did come to fruition. 


Even today, different groups and individuals favor different habitation styles. Mars settlements are perhaps the most famous, due to the fact that it is our closest planetary neighbor. While no manned missions have occurred yet, they are in the making, with NASA’s Artemis Missions set to further the boundaries of exploration on the red planet. Mars bases have the benefit of natural gravity, an atmosphere (however thin it may be), and the potential to use materials from the Martian surface, a process called In-Situ resource utilization. Mars gravity is still not earth gravity, and the ramifications are researched, but not comprehensive. Even so, Mars bases remain a proper choice to go with when building your new interplanetary home. 


However, Mars bases are not the only option. Another option is rotating space stations. You may ask, why rotate the station? Wouldn’t a stationary station substantiate and satisfy space settlement? Simple. The rotation of the station creates centrifugal force, causing a force towards the center that mimics gravity. A stationary station (Such as the International Space Station), exposes potential settlers and astronauts to microgravity, often shown to be harmful to astronauts. Yet, these stations do not come with the benefit of built in resources (unless we count asteroids), and require more radiation shielding, and potentially disastrous spacewalks to complete repairs. If Mars is a little too rusty for your taste, you may benefit from your very own centrifugal paradise.


SO, HOW HARD IS IT?

Earth has given us humans everything we need to survive, when compared to space, even the most extreme environments seem balmy in comparison.


WHY DOES IT EVEN MATTER THEN?

Space settlement is a divisive topic, with strong opinions on both sides. Critics often make the claim that Earth shouldn’t simply be tossed away for a new home, and that there are major social, economic, and political issues to be fixed before we gallop into unknown territory. These issues have merit, but space settlement can be a valuable addition to Earth's repertoire of technology and innovation. While it is certainly not yet the solution to the environmental crisis or apocalypse, who says it won’t be someday? Even if we never end up as a truly off-world species, there is something to be said about the desire to create, to explore, and to dream.


 Learning how to live on another planet, or on a space station, will take massive advancements in technology, ones that on-worlders will certainly feel. Even our limited forays into space have developed technology that citizens around the globe use every day, such as memory foam and GPS. Settling space would call for revolutions in agriculture, clothing, furniture (imagine trying to keep anything on a shelf when your home rotates!), and medicine. 


Space also provides access to many materials that are rare on Earth. Many asteroids contain prized materials such as gold and platinum, often venturing into the billions. Asteroid mining has become a way to potentially access those materials, boosting the space economy and preventing the damage mining does to our climate. 


Even if these technological advances never come about, or if we never get rich off rare metals,  we must at least try. A lot of poetry has been waxed about the human nature to explore, to climb the tallest mountain, to see the darkest cave, even when there is harm to be faced. Who are we to deny that nature? Space settlement matters. While seen as a billionaire’s playground right now, space is for all of us. We have stargazed and wished on shooting stars, but now we aim to scatter those stars ourselves. Why wouldn’t we? 


CONCLUSION

A settlement in space can't be the fix to all of the problems of humanity, and it certainly doesn’t have to be. But if we want to see the promised changes in our lifetime, we must start now. Organizations such as the NSS (of which I am a member) and the Mars Society do important outreach and advocacy work for space settlement. Not only that, but also support the government agencies and private companies that work to bring people back into space every day. While space settlement is maybe not the most pressing issue to all of our problems, it is a gateway into a new age, one led by exploration, sustainability, and hope.



About the author: Lyla is a high school student currently residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Besides being a space and science fiction fan, she enjoys writing, dancing, making music, and learning of all kinds.

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